Forgotten Past
by Sky Slayer
Summary: Mai's past is not one of innocence and happiness; instead, it is a horror that haunts her everyday. What will happen when the past catches up to her? In more ways than one?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello! Welcome to my Ghost Hunt fan-fic! A lot more things shall be explained at the end of the chapter, so bear with me as this is a rather lengthy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters!**

The sound of the grandfather clock striking midnight echoed through the manor, loud yet musical. No lights were on, the candles blown out; it was pitch-black no matter where you looked. That is, until someone opened the front door.

The door slowly opened, letting the moonlight flood into the entrance hall. A thick, bulky shadow was silhouetted on the floor, as its owner moved forward.

It was a man, a large man. The most noticeable part about the man, however, were his eyes. One was silver, whilst the other was gold. At the moment, they were narrowed with hatred, anger and contempt. The man moved forward slowly, as stealthy as an alley-cat. Moving up the stairs, he walked down the lengthy hallway, searching for the right room.

"Bloody hell, I can't see anything with this damned darkness." he muttered with a British accent. Pausing, he scanned the hallway, immediately noticing the candles being held by the candelabras along the walls. Chuckling to himself, he flicked his wrist and watched as the candles lit up, one by one. The strangest part, though, wasn't how he did it; it was the odd, purple-blue hue of the small licks of flame that now burned on the candles.

"Hm, that will have to do." he mused, resuming walking down the now strangely-lit hall. Little did he know, however, someone in the manor was yet to fall asleep. No, the little girl from the family of the manor was still wide awake, suffering from an insomnia attack. And she had saw, from under the crack of her door, the sudden blue light that he created.

Sitting up, the little girl pulled her dog unto her lap and examined the brilliant light. The little girl was smarter than a normal child, and knew more about the world and its reality. It was a question, though, how what she knew didn't destroy her sanity.

"Emiko, what's that scary light?" she whispered, poking her dog with fear. Aroused, the dog turned to look at the door, and whimpered in fright. The little girl clutched her dog closer, before continuing on.

"Do you think it's mommy and daddy?" Suddenly, a loud 'bang!' sounded through the house, causing the little girl to cry out in fear and for the dog to yelp. Mere moments after the noise, screaming erupting through the house, raising and falling like a symphony.

"Mommy! Daddy!" the little girl screamed, pulling her covers up. Her door opened, and in flooded the blue light she had been entranced by. The girl's butler, Frederic, strode in, fully clothed in his usual tux.

"Sweet, mother and father are busy. You must come with me!" he whispered to her urgently, pulling her into his arms. Muttering soothing words, he moved around her room quickly, gathering what he could. As fast as he could, he put together a suitcase full of whatever necessary. Grabbing it with his free hand, he ran out the room.

"Hang in there, love." he whispered, his hold tightened. The girl's crying ceased, turning into dry sobs. Soon enough, he was out the front door and was racing down the stone-cobbled path leading to the great, golden gates that isolated the manor from the world.

"Wh-where are we going, Fre-Fre?" the girl hiccuped, using her fond nickname for the man. Out the gates and down the street they went, bathed in the moonlight.

"Japan, honey. Mommy and daddy"-his voice cracked-"they'll join us there, soon."

Emiko, the dog, whimpered in confusion.

"They will? Fre, don't lie to me please. Are mommy and daddy...gone?" the girl whispered, clutching his tie with her small, delicate hands. A sigh, of misery and pain, escaped his lips, and all he could do was nod.

"T-Thank you for telling me, Fre-Fre." the little girl whispered, her heart broken. The man, still not trusting his voice, could only nod in response. Together, the butler and the beloved child ran into the darkness of night, but also the darkness of confusion.

14 YEARS LATER:

Mai was late for work. Again. Huffing and puffing, she climbed the stairs of SPR's HQ with extreme difficulty, out of breath from running for the last ten minutes.

For two years, Mai worked for SPR, for her boss Naru. In the last two years, she had learned so much about paranormal activity and such that it was sort of scary.

Also in those two years, her appearance changed. Her shoulder-length hair had grown out to the small of her back, rich, thick and beautiful. Her childish face had morphed into an elegant, mature young woman's face. Overall, she was stunningly beautiful.

Her personality, however, hadn't changed a bit. She still had a hate-love relationship with her boss (with more love than hate), she still cried for the loss of others and she still acted immature. Her family, the SPR crew, loved her anyways, and showed it; excluding Naru and Lin, of course.

Soon, she was through the door and tip-toeing towards the kitchen, praying endlessly that her boss wasn't aware of her late arrival. Her prayers were, however, not answered.

"Mai, you're late. Hurry up and make me some tea." Naru's monotone voice cut through the silence of the office, and Mai groaned in defeat.

"Stupid Naru, stupid tea!" she grumbled, walking the rest of the way to the kitchen in hastiness. Pulling out the kettle and the right tea bags, she busied herself with the daily task of making her narcissistic boss his morning cup of tea.

Finishing up a couple cups, she placed them, cautiously, onto a tray and walked into his office. Placing the cup down, she turned to leave.

"Mai, my parents have a case for us and they're coming with the information today. Madoka's tagging along as well, so inform me as soon as they arrive." he stated with a tight, controlled voice. Her spirits and her mood soared; Madoka was always fun!

"Of course, Naru!" she replied happily, before striding out of the office. Elated by the sudden news, she felt a smile grace her lips. Opening Lin's door, she poked her head in and called to him.

"Lin, I have some tea for you!" She gestured to the tray in her hands, whilst walking up to his desk. He nodded his thanks, never taking his eyes off of the computer screen. Placing the cup down, she bounced out of the room and put the tray back in the kitchen.

Done with work for a while, Mai plopped herself down at her desk and pulled out her phone. Flipping it open, she realized she had a few new texts, from her friends from school.

Mai had graduated only about a month ago, but didn't have plans of leaving for college or university. At the moment, she was content with her SPR job; she didn't need anymore.

Suddenly, the sound of an opening door brought her attention back into the real world. Glancing at the entrance, she screamed, elated.

"Madoka!" Jumping up, she ran over to Naru's teacher and hugged her tightly.

"Hi Mai!" Madoka laughed, hugging her back. The two let go of each other, and Mai stepped back. Only then did she notice the two elderly people standing behind her, and her heart started pounding. The professors? These were Naru's parents? Swearing mentally, she did her best to smile.

"And you must be Naru's parents! Give me a second, I'll call him here for you!" she gushed, gesturing with her hands. The elderly pair smiled, and stepped into the room.

"Naru! Lin! Our guests are here!" Mai called in the direction of the offices. Seconds later, the pair walked into the sitting room, wearing identical, wary expressions.

"Mother, father. Madoka." Naru greeted, sitting down. Lin addressed them as well, choosing to sit in a chair. Mai, taking the opportunity, headed into the kitchen and made more tea.

Soon, the tea was done and Mai had found a seat in the room. Intently, she sipped on her tea and listened to the conversation. Then she realized her mistake.

Stupid Mai! Naru, Lin and Madoka don't know you know english! PLAY DUMB!,She mentally scolded herself, immediately putting on a confused, faraway expression.

"Mother, talk in japanese. Mai doesn't understand english and if you're explain a case, it's a good idea if she knows the details." Naru reprimanded sharply. His mother nodded sheepishly, sending an apologetic glance in Mai's direction.

"Yes, sorry my dear. As I was saying, have any of you ever heard of the Raine Manor murder?" she said in japanese, a small smile playing her lips.

With the words 'Raine Manor Murder', Mai's heart stopped.

**A/N: Yay! Done the first chapter. Oh, this is going to be fun! Who do you think the little girl is? Why do you think Mai's reacting this why? Put two and two together, people! Anyways, on with some stuff:**

**In this story, two years have passed. Naru doesn't know Mai knows Gene (will be explained later on as her secrets are revealed), and Mai is 18 (she's a legal adult, able to get married!). R&R please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, hi again xD. I know my last update was like, an hour ago, but a lot of stuff happen so I'm writing to feel better! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: Ghost Hunt is not mine!**

Mai shifted uncomfortably, as Lin and Naru shook their heads. Was the case about the murder? Did Frederic know about this...this...this arousal?

"We have a case surrounding a few hauntings at the manor! Since you guys don't know anything though, let me explain..." Luella, Naru's mother, gushed.

"It's a rather tragic story...the Raine family was a cheerful lot before everything. The Raine's were a family of three; Hannah, the mother. Derrick, the father. Alexis, the daughter. They were special...because they are the strongest PK users in the world. Even the little girl!

The story goes that one night, Hannah's jealous brother snuck in and killed the parents. The girl, however, escaped, but nobody knows how. She was never heard of again." Luella finished solemnly. Mai sat, trembling and panic-stricken. Were they going to take the case?

"Mother, enough with the stories. You're scaring Mai. Tell us about the actual case." Naru state sharply, his eyes on Mai.

"I-It's alright, Naru..." Mari murmured, faking a smile. The last thing she needed was Naru on her tail. If he found out, lord knows what would happen.

"Right! Well, apparently there are three ghosts within the manor, and for some reason they're starting to cause trouble. Two are probably Hannah and Derrick, but the third is unknown." Luella explained, a worried frown falling upon her face. Naru nodded thoughtfully, soon lost in his own thoughts.

"Well, isn't the manor in England?" Lin asked, frowning himself. Leave it to Lin to be thinking logically and thinking of everything.

"Well, yes...if you were to take the case, you'd have to come to England." Martin, Naru's dad, replied. Mai, upon hearing this, froze out of shock. Go to England? As in-

"MAI-CHAN!" A voice bellowed from outside the entrance door. Suddenly, the door slammed against the wall as it was thrown open, and in came Bou-san. In tow were Ayako and Yasu. Madoka and Lin stifled their laughter, while Naru just looked down-right annoyed.

"Hi Bou-san! Hi Ayako! Hi Yasu!" Mai greeted them from her spot. Praying, she hoped that Bou-san wouldn't squeeze her to death. Not in the state she was in-

He bounded over and crushed her into his chest, yelling incoherent words at the same time. Wheezing, Mai struggled to get out of his death grip, but was failing miserably. After what seemed like an eternity, Bou-san dropped her, ungraciously, onto the floor.

"OW!" He screamed, dancing around the room. Ayako stood there, holding her purse and looking rather smug.

"Don't manhandle Mai, you pervert!" She screamed, before thwacking him over the head one more time and sitting down. Bou-san whimpered, cowering in a corner, whilst Mai simply sat on the floor. Yasu, being the first of the new arrivals to notice Naru's parents, smiled at them.

"The SPR Team, folks!" He announced proudly, gesturing over to where Ayako and Bou-san were now arguing rather loudly. Luella and Martin chuckled softly, gazing at the group with amused eyes.

"Bou-san, Ayako, Yasu...we're taking a case in England. Have your bags packed and be here by 9 tomorrow morning." Naru instructed. The trio mock-saluted Naru, before settling down into one of the sofas. After a few moments of comforting silence, Luella spoke.

"So, Naru...is Mai my future daughter-in-law?" Luella asked, curious. Mai started choking on air, her face turning dark-red. Bou-san and Yasu started howling with laughter, ending up on the floor. Ayako and Lin simply smirked, and looked at Naru for his reaction.

"No mother, she's not. Now if you will, stop further causing my worker bodily harm, as they are already useless enough." Naru drawled, glaring at the pair on the floor (who were still dying of laughter). At the sound of his cold words, the two froze and glared at the young man. In return, Naru smirked at them, before striding off and into his office, or as the team like to put it, cave.

"Well, then. I'm going to go home and start packing...bye everyone." Mai said nervously, and bolted for the door.

"Poor girl. Still hasn't realized her feelings, has she?" Madoka chuckled. The gang simply shook their heads, chuckling softly at the girl's denial.

Mai was walking down the street, her head in the clouds. She was, in other words, lost in her thoughts. Lest she forget the events of that horrific night, but for her to go back into the manor? She didn't know what was going to happen; as soon as one of those ghosts recognizes her, her jig would be up.

"Why...why after I settle down and become happy and full again must you bring it back down, uncle?" She murmured to herself softly. Sighing, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and rounded the corner.

"Hello, dear." A voice from in front of her caused her to look up. Frederic, her guardian/house-keeper, stood there, concern in his eyes and grocery bags in his arms.

"Hi, Fre-Fre!" Mai replied, beaming at the man. Having been 24 when the murder occurred, Frederic was now 36. Still, he never left Mai. He had stayed with her, raising her and telling her everything about why her parents were deceased.

"Is something wrong?" He asked curiously, almost immediately picking up on the gloomy vibe coming off the young girl.

"Naru took a case involving the murder, Fre! What am I going to do?" Mai cried, her arms flailing. The man's eyes widened for a second, before going back to their regular size.

"They know nothing of you, love. They know nothing of what you're capable of. They haven't suspected a thing in the last 2 years, they won't start. Don't be foolish and get yourself into trouble, just do what you have to do." Frederic stated firmly, his eyes ablaze. Mai hesitated, before nodding, slowly gaining confidence.

"Their ghosts...will they recognize me?" She whispered after a few moments of silence. By now, the pair were walking down the sidewalk in the direction of their house. Frederic considered the idea, before glancing at Mai with appraising eyes.

"They may. Your aura was the same...presence, in a sense, as it is now. However, if you send off vibes telling them not to say anything, I doubt they'll say something."

Mai considered this. It seemed logical; she did know how to manipulate her vibes into what she wanted them to be. Then she remembered something Luella had said, and her heart plummeted.

"Fre, she said there were 3 ghosts! Who's the third?" Mai asked frantically. The man took his time in replying, busy with unlocking the door. Mai knew better; he was unsure of what to say.

"It's alright if you're not sure, Fre-Fre. I'll figure something out!" Mai hastened to reassure him, not wanting to leave him on an edge. He nodded briefly, and walked into the house, having unlocked the door.

"I'll trust you'll keep in touch?" He asked, glancing at Mai over his shoulder. Mai nodded, bobbing her head up and down. Her bangs, usually tucked over to the side, were now dangling in her eyes.

Frederic was like her father, brother and mentor all put into one. She loved him, and he loved her as well. They made a nice, little family. It was, in a sense, perfect.

"Mai, you do know that even if something bad happens, I expect you to contact me. Understood?" Frederic told her firmly. Hesitating, Mai thought over what he meant in her head before nodding slowly.

"Good. Now, since you're going away, shall we order take-out? That way I don't need your assistance for dinner thus giving you time to pack. I will wake you up at 7:30 sharp, so you have time to get ready and be there. Is that fine?" He continued, cheerfully. Mai laughed to herself, before nodding. Bounding over to the stairs, she paused and turned back.

"Fre-Fre? I love you." Mai said, smiling widely. He stopped what he was doing and turned in her direction. His eyes were full of pride, love and amazement.

"I love you too, Alexis Marie Raine. I love you too."

**A/N: Okay! So, sortaaaa filler...but I've had a bad evening! Special thank you to Usagi-chin for being the first reviewer! 3**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Yay! You guys like the story so far! What a relief, aha. Before we start off this chapter, let me answer a question!**

**Lalaloo: Yes, it's only a father/brother/mentor-type relationship. Fre's too old anyways LOL.**

**Oh! I realized I got Frederic's age wrong(ehe..). He's actually 38! Alright, enough of me. On with the story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

The next morning, Frederic awoke Mai just like they planned. Half-asleep, she ran around the house getting ready.

"Pack loads of extra clothing, Mai. Don't forget female products too!" Frederic reminded her with a cheeky grin. Mai's face reddened, before she stuck out her tongue and grabbed a waffle from the various plates sitting on the counter.

"Oh dear...I do believe I'm going to miss my little girl." Frederic murmured, the sparkle in his eyes dimmed. Mai paused in her munching, and walked over to where Frederic stood. Shoving the last bit of the waffle into her mouth, she hugged the man.

"And I believe I'm going to miss my Fre-Fre." She replied sadly. He wrapped his arms around the girl tightly, holding her against his chest. They stood like that for a few moments, before he pulled away and sighed.

"You grew up so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was carrying you out of the manor..." Frederic whispered, kissing her forehead in a fatherly-way. Mai didn't reply, just stood there listening to his words.

"Mai, I trust you will be safe?" Frederic asked, a stern edge to his voice now. He knew of the risks the girl had taken throughout the years she worked for SPR, and how far she would go to keep her loved ones safe.

"You know I'll try and fail miserably, Fre. Why even bother asking?" Mai replied, fruitlessly attempting to lighten the suddenly cold atmosphere. For some reason, it felt like they were saying good-bye...forever. Mai shivered involuntarily at the thought of leaving Frederic, the man who raised her into who she was.

"True, true. Let's just hope your boss will figure this case out quickly, so I'll have my princess back home." Frederic mock sighed, smiling at Mai who giggled.

Soon enough, it was time to go. Mai picked up her bags and heaved them towards the door, only pausing to glance over her shoulder one last time.

"Bye bye, Fre-Fre. I'll miss you." She whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. He simply smiled in return, shedding a few tears of his own.

About fifteen minutes later, Mai was at SPR, lugging equipment into the van.

"So...much...work..." She groaned, her arms feeling like jelly.

Naru smirked in her direction, before turning back and returning to his conversation with Martin. The men were discussing possible names for the third ghost, but were coming up short. They had been talking for slightly over an hour by now, too.

"Damn, who the hell could the third ghost be?" Naru swore, frustrated. Martin shrugged helplessly, put out.

"C'mon boys, the van's packed!" Mai called over, gesturing. They walked over, Naru jumping into the front seat beside Lin, who was intending on driving. Mai prepared to get in, when a strong pair of arms grabbed her own and pulled her back down.

"Hey!" She cried out in annoyance. Turning, she realized it had been Bou-san who'd pulled her down. Furrowing her eyebrows, she punched his arm lightly.

"You're coming with us this time!" He cheered, spinning her around. Mai's jaw dropped as she stiffened.

"As in...the same car? As you and...Ayako and...Yasu?" She asked, scared. Bou-san nodded in confirmation and Mai gasped in started struggling. Too bad Bou-san as stronger than her.

"NO! NARU, LIN HELP ME! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!" She screamed, kicking her legs out. Bou-san smirked, and threw her into the car.

"BOU-SAN, WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME BACK?" Yasu was screaming, his hands over his heart. Bou-san, who was driving, groaned and hit his head in the steering wheel before turning over to Yasu.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE WEIRD AND OBNOXIOUS!" He screamed in response. Yasu feigned hurt and started screaming something about them both loving dumplings.

"EYES ON THE ROAD, YOU DAMNED IDIOT!" Ayako screamed at Bou-san, smacking his head with her purse. Mai, on the other hand, was curled up into a fetal position and was praying she'd make it out of this car alive.

"GET YOUR PURSE OFF OF ME, YOU-" A sudden, ear-splitting screech erupted through the car. They realized that it was the tires, Bou-san having almost hit a truck.

"SEE? SEE? YOU ALMOST KILLED US!" Ayako screamed.

"I BEG TO DIFFER YOU OLD HAG!" Bou-san yelled in response. _Shouldn't have gone there, Bou-san_...Mai thought desperately.

"DON'T CALL ME OLD!" Ayako thundered, smacking Bou-san's head with every word. Yasu, fighting to protect his 'love', tackled Ayako and sent them both sprawling onto the floor. Unfortunately, his shoe hit Bou-san on the side of the head. More screaming erupted and Mai pulled farther back into her corner. Suddenly, her phone started ringing.

"Hello?" Mai greeted, a desperate air to her voice.

"Mai?" Madoka confused voice replied back. She'd obviously heard the screaming.

"MADOKA SAVE ME!" Mai screamed into the phone, her eyes on the brawl involving Ayako and Yasu.

"What's going on...? Wait, do I want to know?" Madoka asked nervously. Mai didn't reply right away, instead she watched the speed meter reach over 100.

"They're crazy Madoka! Help me, ple- NO! AYAKO, DON'T SHOVE YOUR SHOE DOWN YASU'S THROAT! NOBODY HERE WANTS TO GIVE HIM CPR!" Mai suddenly started screaming, forgetting about being on the phone with the older women. Turning her phone off, she shoved it into her pocket before throwing herself into the full-blown rage-fest. Grabbing Ayako's flailing arm, she bit down hard and fast, most likely drawing blood. Ignoring the miko's enraged screaming, she moved onto Yasu's arm and bit down even harder than she did for Ayako.

".." Mai screamed at the lot, enraged. Silence emerged as the trio obeyed, blissful and comforting. Sighing in relief, Mai moved back onto her seat and pulled her legs up to her chest.

Three, silent hours later, the gang arrived at the airport. As soon as they parked, Mai jumped out and gulped down the fresh air invitingly.

"Holy shit, I honestly thought I was going to die. BEFORE we got involved with the case." Mai glared at the emerging three.

"Sorry Mai..." Yasu replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. The girl simply sighed, grateful that god had spared her life.

"Well hello Mai. Good to know you're alive!" Madoka's cheerful voice cut through the silence. Whirling, Mai was elated to see the others, who were currently jumping out of the van.

"Glad to live to see your face again, Madoka." Mai replied tiredly, smiling. Madoka laughed, ruffling the younger girl's hair, before turning to face the other three.

"You people be ashamed. Almost killing a young girl? Terrible!" She mocked, grinning toothily. They laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of their heads in sync. Mai blinked; had they practiced that?

"Well, come along children. We don't have all the time in the world our plane leaves in about 5 minutes." Martin interrupted, an amused smile on his face. Together, the team trudged into the airport and in the direction of their gate.

**A/N: Whew! Finally, all the boring stuff is D-O-N-E. Expect some plot and action next chapter! Just so I can keep you guys interested, I won't write about the plane ride, which would most likely be boring. Anyways, R&R! I'll try and get another chapter up...in two days or so? I'll update soon, basically. Bye! Love, Lilac.**


	4. The Lady Of The Manor

**A/N: :D :D :D! YAY YOU GUYS LIKE IT. That makes me happy, tee-hee. I decided to start naming the chapters, aha. Good idea or no? Anyways, no long introduction this time; let's get right to the story! I hope this shall be a long-ish chapter! (I tried to make it long...I don't know if it is or not)**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GHOST HUNT, GOT THAT?**

One cup of spilled coke, a saddened Yasu and a plane ride later, the gang had finally arrived in England, Mai mentally panicking the whole time.

"So, where are we staying exactly?" Ayako asked, curiously.

"In the manor itself. It's now public land, only restricting pranksters off its land." Martin replied, much to Mai's dismay. Ayako nodded, accepting the answer.

"Nothing went missing? Everybody's luggage is accounted for?" Luella asked, concerned in a motherly-fashion. Everyone nodded, double-checking that all their bags were safely tucked into the van's trunk.

"Good, then let's head out." Naru cut in, motioning for everyone to get into the van. As Mai was climbing into the van, her hold faltered and she found herself falling backwards. Letting loose a cry of anguish, she closed her eyes and waited for the pain, but it never came. Opening one eye, she found herself staring into the sapphire-blue eyes of Naru. Blinking, she felt her face heat up as she realized what had just happened; Naru had caught her before she fell.

"Clumsy idiot." He mocked, smirking. She glared back, but wasn't ready to trust her voice yet. Naru set her upright and hopped into the passenger-seat, with the utmost grace.

"Stupid NARU!" Mai yelled, clenching her fists before jumping into the van.

A few hours later, they arrived at the manor. Standing in front of the gates, the only thing Mai felt was dread. Dread with a side of panic.

"Something wrong, Mai?" Lin's soft voice startled her, and she jumped into the air. Whirling around, she came face-to-face with the calm, Chinese man.

"E-Eh, nothing is wrong Lin-san!" Mai assured him, despite her churning insides.

Lin gave her a reproachable look, before nodding once and turning back to the van. Taking in a deep breath, the frightened girl tried desperately to calm herself down.

"Alright, gang! Let's head in!" Madoka called over the noise, pointing towards the gates.

Turning her head in the direction of the gates, she felt her breathing hitch. The once-beautiful, golden gates were now a rusty-brown, having been neglected for years. With a jolt, Mai realized it used to be Frederic's job to maintain the well-being of the gardens and the gates; after he'd left, nobody would have cared. Did that mean the beautiful rose garden that took years to perfect was dead, or decaying? Mai shivered involuntarily at the thought; her mother used to cherish the garden.

"Mai?" Ayako called, interrupting the girl's thought. Blinking, Mai's face turned sheepish as she realized everyone was already at the threshold of the house, and were currently waiting for her to hurry up.

"Sorry..." Mai muttered, before scurrying over. As soon as she found herself standing beside Bou-san, Naru opened the door. With that, the horrors began.

Screams. The screams of her mother. Yelling. The voice of her father. They entered her head as soon as she stepped into the foyer, and she found herself falling to her knees in agony. Moaning in pain, she covered her ears with her palms, desperately trying to block out the voices. Distinctly, she could hear the others calling her name, sounding worried and frightened. Looking up, her eyes widened as she watched the candles come to life with licks of purple-blue flames, filling the foyer with various shades of purple, blue and black.

"No...NO...NOOO!" Mai screamed, closing her eyes as all the memories came back to her. The pain of losing her parents. The fear of the light outside her door. The horror caused by the screaming, yelling and noises. The night her life fell to pieces. The night a part of her had died.

"MAI!" Naru's voice was clear over the roar in her ears. Still, she couldn't reach out for him. Still, she didn't try. She stared as she watched the carpet stain itself with blood, ruby-red and vibrant. It looked almost fresh. Almost as if the murder was happening now.

"No, stop..." Mai begged, shaking her head around. The tears came, thick and flowing. She felt the carpet below her become wet, as her tears cascaded down her cheeks in fat droplets. She whimpered, the mental pain becoming too much to bear. With that, she blacked out, hitting the carpet hard.

"MAI!" Naru yelled. He was scared, to say the least. They had just walked in when Mai had fallen to the floor, screaming and begging for something, or someone, to stop. He watched alongside the others, helpless, as Mai went through hell. Then, when the pain she was feeling became too much to bear, she'd fallen into unconsciousness.

"Did you enjoy that? Do you like not knowing why your precious little princess was in agony?" A voice echoed through the foyer, causing everyone to become alert. Naru's eyes narrowed down to slits, as he turned around on the spot.

"You'll be seeing much more of that. Oh yes. I intend on killing that worthless piece of trash slowly but surely. You'll have to stand by and be helpless, just like MY family was when I was in pain!" The voice roared. Naru winced at the volume; his ears were rather sensitive. Then came silence. Unbearable silence. Bou-san walked over to where Mai lay, still.

"Let's put her somewhere safe." He suggested, picking her up bridal-style. The others nodded, cautious and worried. Naru stood there, watching, as everyone else headed down the hallway. He didn't follow; he needed some time to himself to think over what just happened.

"Does Mai have a connection to this place?" He thought out loud, his brain working. Was it possible that Mai had been here before? He shook his head, suddenly wary of this case.

"Take care of her, Noll." A voice whispered. His head snapped up, wondering who was speaking for the fact his parents had left with the gang. Nobody else called him Noll. Then, he saw her.

A female ghost floated in front of him, watching him with sad, dead eyes. Her hair, from what he could see, was the same caramel colour as Mai's. Her skin, however, was deathly pale; as was her night-gown. The most disturbing thing, however, was the blood that stained the front in splatters and globs.

"Hannah?" He guessed wearily. The lady smiled and nodded in confirmation. She floated around him in lazy circles, assessing him.

"He doesn't want her alive, Noll. He...he is ruthless. He must be stopped, and only Ale-Mai can do that." The lady explained, her eyes brimming with tears. Naru nodded, not noticing the lady's slip up.

"Another thing, Noll. The spirit...it...it was the one that killed your brother. Eugene had come here in high hopes of solving this case, but didn't have the PK strength to stop him." The lady continued sadly, watching Naru for his reaction.

"It...what?" Naru asked blankly. The spirit...it...his brother? The lady smiled sadly, before opening her arms widely.

"Come, Oliver Davis. Let us explore the world of visions, and let me show you where you have seen me before." She whispered. Naru considered the offer at hand; was it a trick? What if it was Hannah doing all the damage? She knows about my brother...Naru mused. Deciding to go against logic and his brain, he went with his heart.

"Take me away, Hannah Raine." He whispered, walking towards her. In a flash, they were floating above a banquet hall. He noticed, with amazement, that he knew the hall. It had been where, about 15 years ago, they had a Christmas party for the worlds most known scientists. His parents threw it.

"Do you remember, Noll?" Hannah asked sadly, gazing at him. He nodded hesitantly, the events of the night playing in his head, just as they played out beneath him.

"Come, let us get a better view of what I want to show you." Hannah suggested, grabbing him hand and pulling him towards a certain cluster in the crowd.

As they came closer, he realized, with a shock, that it was his parents. His mother donned a beautiful, sea-blue party dress whilst his father wore a tux, adorned with a tie that matched his mother's dress colour. With another shock, he distinguished himself from his mothers legs, where a three-year-old Naru stood, watching his parents mingle.

"Now, tell me Noll. Who is it that your parents are talking with?" Hannah's soft voice shook him out of his reverie. Glancing over to where his mother's attention was directed, he stared at the seemingly happy couple that stood chatting with them.

The lady wore a beautiful, floor-length dress, the colour of the midnight sky. Her husband wore a tux the same colour as the lady's dress, matched with a black tie. They made a beautiful couple, all in all. With a jolt, he realized that Hannah was the beautiful lady who was deep in chat with his mother.

"Shall we go just a tad closer to hear what we were saying?" Hannah asked softly, grabbing Naru's upper-arm gently. Wordlessly, he nodded whilst watching the happy couple converse. Hannah pulled them down so low that they were basically standing right beside the group.

"...I'm so worried. Alexis' powers are growing rapidly and we don't know how much longer she can control them!" Hannah was saying, exasperated. Luella and Martin were nodding, concerned yet thoughtful expressions on their faces.

"You'll have to train her, Hannah. There's nothing else we can tell you, I'm afraid." Martin replied sadly, shaking his head in defeat.

"She's only 3, Martin! Do you honestly thi-" Derrick, the father, exclaimed angrily, but his wife cut him off.

"They're right, Derrick. We're going to have to teach her to control her powers...one way or another."

Naru's heart stopped at those words; one way or another? What did she have in mind for 'another'? Hannah, the one floating beside him, turned and spoke.

"It meant...putting her in a room where you couldn't hurt anyone." She explained, her voice strained. Naru nodded, understanding. To be honest, he was somewhat relieved; he had been expecting something worse. Turning back to the conversation, he listened carefully to what they were saying.

"So, we teach her." Derrick stated, his voice emotionless. The other three nodded, wary yet apprehensive expressions on their faces.

"PK is a unique, yet deadly, gift. Noll and Gene are gifted with it; god forbid their powers start growing as much as Lexi's." Luella murmured, wiping away a stray tear. Martin nodded, putting an arm around her comfortingly.

"I think it's time we left. It's far past Alexis' bed-time. Good-bye you two, thank you for the advice." Hannah murmured, before turning away and walking towards the exit. Naru thought that was all he had to hear, so he started floating back up.

However, Hannah grabbed his hand and led them in the direction of the couple's retreating backs. Confused, Naru followed her, unsure of what more there was to hear. They floated through the doors, ending up in the courtyard outside. There were clusters of fully blooming trees everywhere, leaving an earthy smell in the air.

"Come, Alexis! Say bye to Gene!" Hannah, the one from the vision, called out into the trees. With a shock, he watched as his brother (a three-year old version, at least) came running out of the trees, laughing. In tow was a small, petite girl, who could only be Alexis Raine. They were giggling, glancing at each other sheepishly.

"Bye Genie!" Alexis called over her shoulder as she walked to where her parents stood, waiting patiently. Gene waved back, a huge smile on his face. Naru watched his brother with sad, misty eyes.

"Come Noll. We must go." Hannah whispered, tugging on his hand. He complied, letting her lead him out of the memory. Suddenly, they were back in the foyer; in Naru's time.

"They were best friends until Alexis disappeared. A part of Gene died when he heard the news, so he came year, years later, to investigate himself. That resulted in him dying..." Hannah whispered. Naru nodded, the pieces of the puzzle clicking in his head.

"I must go, child. I'll keep in touch as much I can though. One more thing, though; your brother's body can be found in this manor. I hope you can find it and give the dear a proper funeral." Hannah continued, her eyes sad as ever.

"I'll find it, no matter what. I promise you, Hannah. I promise that I shall find the body, and find Alexis." Naru replied, a fire burning in his eyes.

Naru now had his goal; his reason to solve this case.

**A/N: So I didn't want to leave you guys with nothing, and I had a quiet weekend! I hope that was long ago, and I hope it was interesting enough! Now, I'm off to bed. Night everyone! Oh! And R&R please! Naru demands it :D**


	5. A Tussle In The Courtyard

**A/N: Hello! I don't know what I was doing when I wrote this. Ehem...that means this might be a bit off. I think I'm getting sick, too ): Let's hope I'm not! :33 On with the sh-STORY! (I was totally not going to say show there.)**

**PS: This chapter might be on the short side. Most likely because I have to end it where I end it. ): Sorry guys! But you can expect another update SOON! :3 Lilac won't leave ya hanging! I refuse to! **

**DISCLAIMER: Lilac does NOT own Ghost Hunt!**

Naru, still shell-shocked by everything just just occurred, walked in the direction of the others, in a trance. He could vaguely hear people chatting, but is was dull over the roar of his thoughts. His brother tried to solve this case? He died trying to solve this case? What the hell did that mean for the SPR crew?

"Will she be alright?" He could hear Yasu's worried voice over the rest, frantic; he was clearly shaken about the incident with Mai. Even thought he was a total piss-off (in Naru's opinion) and a frightening human being (in Bou-san's case), he really did get serious when came the time. With a strained, miserable sigh, Naru opened the door to the base. Inside sat everyone, round a sofa where Mai lay, still unmoving.

"No progress?" He asked, already knowing the answer. Everybody nodded solemnly, wearing identical, wary expressions.

"Fitful sleep." Luella sighed, gazing at Mai with sad, dead eyes. Naru nodded, slightly put out. As much as he tormented his assistant, he really did care. Hell would freeze over before he would tell her that, though. Suddenly, a loud thump echoed through the room. The sound of cricking necks followed as everyone stared at the source of the sound; Mai. She'd fallen onto the floor, moaning.

"What the hell?" She groaned, sitting up and rubbing her head. For a few seconds, everyone was quiet. Then, laughter erupted throughout the room. Mai glanced at them all, confused.

"You blacked out in the foyer." Naru explained, crossing his arms.

She nodded, still disorientated and rather tired. Naru decided to wait a few minutes before interrogating her on what she saw.

"So, Mai...what did you see?" He asked, his eyes narrowing the slightest. She glanced up at him, startled, before she put on her poker face.

"I think I saw Alexis' memories of the night. The candles lit up, blood splattered on the carpet, and...there was a lot of screaming and yelling." She told him honestly. Truth be told, she wasn't ready to acknowledge the fact that they needed to know she was Alexis; she was afraid of what the consequences would be. On the other hand, she was fearing what would happen if she kept it in for a longer time.

"Okay...well, let's set up everything properly before calling it a night. Bou-san, Ayako, Mai; take temperatures and set up monitors. Yasu, get as much information as you can on the Raine's. Mother, father...I need to talk to you about what you know about Hannah and Derrick." Naru instructed. Everyone nodded, standing and carry out whatever order they were given. Mai, Bou-san and Ayako headed out the door, their arms loaded with the required equipment.

_**- G H O S T . H U N T -**_

The trio that had set out to do the dirty work were still at it, even hours later. Turned out that the manor was bigger than they believed for it to be, causing the older two to start complaining. Mai, however, was silent, observing the changes that had occurred over-time and lost herself in the memories of her childhood.

"This is stupid! Naru should be out here too, not sending US out here!" Ayako complained, in a grumpy mood. Mai couldn't help but sigh; Ayako had been complaining since they left the base.

"Ayako, we're almost done. You can hang in there for a while longer, right?" She soothed, patting the older women's arm. Ayako mumbled something incoherent, before picking up her pace. Mai rolled her eyes, before following Ayako into the courtyard. The inky-blue, midnight sky was dotted with speckles of stars here and there, shining brightly from even miles away. Mai smiled at the sight; it was so peaceful, no matter how hectic life was at the moment. Too bad it couldn't last.

Bou-san had been walking towards the gazebo, where they had intended on placing the camera. As he closed in on the spot, he'd been thrown across the courtyard, the box of equipment dropping where he'd been standing.

"BOU-SAN!" Mai screamed, running over to where he now lay, unmoving. As she came closer, she realized he was out cold. Dread filled her from head to toe; what the hell had thrown him?

"Time to play, love." A sickly-sweet voice rang through the courtyard. Upon recognition, Mai's insides froze over. She knew that voice...and she didn't like it.

"Ayako, RUN!" Mai screamed, gesturing at the miko. Of course, Ayako had to pick now to be stubborn and stand there, chanting. Groaning, Mai raced backed back to Ayako, desperately hoping to reach her before anything happened. Of course, things never went according to Mai's head.

Ayako, mid-chant, was sent flying into a wall, hitting it with a sicking crack. Wincing, Mai didn't even have to go over to know the woman was out cold.

"Oh how sad. I think I might have killed one of your friends, Lexi!" The spirit mockingly sighed, echoing through the vast courtyard. Narrowing her eyes, Mai stood taller, glancing around her. Nobody (other than other two unconscious adults) was in the courtyard. After a brief moment of hesitation, she decided on what she was going to do. Closing her eyes, she touched on the sealed PK energy within her. She could feel the energy rippling, coming alive after being dormant for years. Soon enough, as expected, Mai felt her hands vibrate with the beautiful, electric-blue static that was known as PK.

"You asked for it, you bloody piece of shit. Now you're going to get it!" Mai roared, aiming her hands upwards, towards the sky. Concentrating she felt the energy rush through her hands, sizzling the air with sparks and licks of electricity. The gusts of wind increased in strength, sending her hair tumbling down her back in waves. She heard the spirit, whoever it was, curse vividly before she felt the paranormal energy disperse. Sighing in relief, she lowered her hands and controlled her PK surges, weakening them until they were completely under the surface. Smelling the burnt, singed air, Mai wrinkled her nose.

Now, it was time to contact Naru and the others, and tell them...a brief summary of what had just

happened. She had no intention of telling them about her little tussle. No, not at all. If anything, Mai would never tell them; only hinting on it if need be. Of course, she thought nobody saw the little display. She thought the courtyard was void of any living, conscious humans. Though Fate had different plans for her; little did she know, someone had been watching the whole, entire thing.

**A/N: See? It wouldn't be a good ending unless I left you guys with a cliffie! :D So anyways, like I said in the first note, this is on the short side...even though it's like 2 pages long. Oh! By the way, I need some help. Would you guys like Mai's secret revealed earlier, or later? I could go either way at this point, but too far into the story, I wouldn't be able to change it. I don't want to lose you guys! AND THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS SO FAR! I love that you guys are enjoying this (: Trust me when I say authors love comments on their work. Like, LOVE. In my case it motivates me to write faster. (*wink wink*)**

**Another matter is at hand, at the moment. Aside from me being sick, I'm having a rather hard time finding a beta reader. Any suggestions? Actually, I'd prefer if you guys picked one out for me. **

**Anyways, R&R if you want more Naru and Mai moments! Well, you could always leave suggestions in the reviews, but I got a couple ideas of what I want to do...they mostly involve a bottle of coke, a pissed-off Naru and a closet. Muwhahaha...'till next time!**


	6. Breaking Down

**A/N: Hello again! Yesterday was the last day for my 'Go Girls' group, it was super-fun though sad :3 So, a couple of you decided on commenting/reviewing. Kudos to you! :D Anyways, I hope this is a good enough chapter! Thank ya! Remember; expect the unexpected when it comes to my stories! :3**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GHOST HUNT.**

Mai grabbed the walkie talkie, and desperately tried to turn it on. The last then she needed was another encounter with her uncle; another chance for her secret to get revealed. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the walkie turned on.

"Mai?" Naru's garbled voice came in through the other side. Sighing in relief, Mai answered him with a huff.

"No. It's Santa Claus! OF COURSE IT'S ME YOU IDIOT!" She retorted, slightly pissed off. There was shuffling on the other end, before Naru spoke again.

"Where the hell are you?" He asked, angrily. Mai blinked in surprise; what was with the change of emotion?

"The courtyard...? That doesn't matter. We were attacked, but the ghosts are gone. Ayako and Bou-san are out cold though. Can you guys help please?" Mai explained desperately.

"We're on our way." Naru responded coldly, before the connection broke. Lowering the walkie, Mai frowned to herself. What got his panties in a bunch? Was he upset that he had lost contact with them? Shaking her head, Mai decided to sit down. Not that she was tired of using PK; Mai, unlike Naru, felt alive when she used PK. It...awakened her senses. Naru, on the other hand, has his energy drained; hence the near-to-death stuff.

"Mai?" Someone called out, from the porch doors. Quickly, Mai stood up and waved, realizing the voice belong to Yasu.

"Down here! Near the gazebo!" She called back, jumping up and down a little. Yasu finally caught her eye and walked over quickly. Closing in on where I was standing, her drew me into a tight bear-hug.

"We thought you guys..." He trailed off, leaving Mai to fill in the blanks. She nodded, filling a few tears slide down her cheeks. Yasu was like the older, protective, crazy brother Mai never had.

"We're fine, Yasu. Just fine." Mai whispered back. She closed her eyes, feeling safe and content for the first time that night, just letting Yasu comfort her.

"And why are you fine, may I ask? You were attacked by a rather ruthless ghost, weren't you?" A cold, heartless voice broke the moment. Broke the peace.

Mai turned, her eyes blazing. Over the two years, the shy fear she had for Naru had dispersed. No, several other feelings were left in their place; feelings that had been locked up over the years.

"We're fine because the damn ghost is playing a bloody game." Mai seethed, her tone matching his. Shock was apparent across the courtyard, as everyone stared at her in either disappoint or grudging respect.

"He wants me dead, Naru. But he won't pass up a chance to make me suffer first." Mai continued, whispering softly. Un-shed tears clung to her eyelashes, threatening to fall down her cheeks; threatening to show weakness in Mai. That was, at the moment, the last thing she wanted.

"Mai...don't lie. I saw what happened..." Luella whispered, her own eyes wet and gleaming in the moonlight. It was though someone had thrown a brick at Mai; a fast ball. A change of direction in the wind. Whirling around to face the elderly woman, Mai gaped. She gaped for all she was worth.

"W-What?" Mai asked, tripping over her words. No...no no no no no! She couldn't have! Now she'd have to explain...Naru will know...oh crap. 'Oh crap' was all that was going through Mai's mind.

"I...came to check on you. The first thing i saw was Ayako getting thrown into the wall, and you screaming. Then, I watched you summon...summon immerse surges of PK and send them into the air. Why, Mai? Why didn't you tell anyone? Why live a life of lies? Why not tell us, at the very beginning, that you were, and are, Alexis?" Luella explained and asked, her voice soft. No sound was heard through the grassy backyard, no movement except for the leaves on the trees that stood nearby in clusters.

"I..." Mai couldn't speak. Her mind was blank. An abyss of never-ending fear of what would come next. Fear for the retaliation that was to come.

"So all those times you played dumb on cases and got yourself near to dead, all those times you scared the rest of us shit-less, it was all an act? I never knew you were so selfish, Mai." Naru's cold voice rang through the cold, broken night...cutting Mai deep. It also got her riled up, her insides burning with anger.

"Excuse me? You think I enjoyed it? You think I ENJOYED almost getting killed by such weak spirits, when I could have easily solved the case the first few minutes? Give or take an hour? For your information, I didn't. I didn't enjoy it one bit.

But it couldn't be helped. If my identity was found, I'd be hunted down. Taken in for studies and research. I would've been held captive, Naru. But that doesn't affect you at all, does it?

Oh, and not to mention my best friend DIED trying to avenge my supposed death!"-Mai's voice cracked at the mention of Gene-"How guilty did you think I felt then, Naru? Huh? HUH?

Of course you wouldn't know. You wouldn't know of the loss of your parents. You wouldn't know how to feels to have yourself ripped out of your life, ripped away from everything you've ever known, and thrown into a new one, would you?

HELL NO YOU WOULDN'T. WHY? BECAUSE YOU WERE TO BUSY BEING A JUDGEMENTAL BASTARD TO REALIZE SMALL, IMPORTANT DETAILS! LIKE HOW I NEVER LET MYSELF GET TOO INJURED. LIKE HOW I NEVER ASKED FOR ANYBODY TO PAY ATTENTION TO ME WHEN I WAKE UP FROM DREAMS. DID I, NARU? DID I EVER?"-Mai was full-on ranting now, letting everything that was ever bottled up inside her spill out and form into words of sheer hatred-"NO. THINGS IN LIFE JUST HAPPEN, OLIVER DAVIS. THINGS COME UP WITHOUT A BLOODY REASON WHY. WE, AS HUMANS, DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR SUPPOSED FATE, DO WE?

No. We don't. That's why things end up so wrong. They end up completely shattered in ways we can't imagine. We find ourselves doing things we never thought we would be doing. But that doesn't affect you, Naru. Nothing affects the almighty owner of SPR...not even the break-down of a girl who's supposed to be dead. Why? Because you, Naru...have no heart. You're a cold bastard who thinks he owns this bloody place. You know what? It's sickens me how YOU, of all people, are Gene's, sweet, sweet Eugene's, twin." Mai ended off with a quiet, calm voice, nothing like the volume she was using moments ago. Her head bowed down in pain, she didn't have to look up to know everyone was looking at her with either shock, respect or anger. Maybe all three, even more.

"Mai..." Yasu whispered brokenly. Tasking a deep, shuddering breath, Mai looked up at the rest of them. They were all staring at her as if she was a rabid animal; all expect Yasu. _Bless him_, Mai thought.

"So you think we, as a team, are weak? Well then, Alexis. I hear-by deem you as FIRED.

Now you can run along and do whatever you normal do when we, ah...aren't dragging you down." Naru spat at her venomously. Mai stared at him, his words registering in her brain. All she wanted to do was break-down and cry. But no. That wasn't how she was going to end things with SPR, god-damn!

"Fine then. Good luck solving the case. I'll have you know, the third ghost is a level 9 PK user. Ruthless, cold and blood-thirsty; good luck handling him. Yasu, I'll keep in touch. Tell the same to Ayako and Bou-san, and fill them in on what happened please. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll grab my bags and go." Mai stated calmly, before holding her head up high and walking towards the porch doors, fully intending to leave even though her heart was broken. She could hear the whispers of Naru's parents, desperately trying to get him to call her back but to no avail. _This is it, then_, she thought bitterly. Nobody was going to call her back. He wasn't apologizing. Just as she was about to open the door, it opened from the other side and out stepped a couple people, all looking around Mai's age. The one in front stepped forward a bit, cockiness written all across his features.

"So, you must be the losers from Japan here trying to solve this case. Too bad for you we're solving this first."

**A/N: Don't you just love me and my sorta quick updates? :D Yes? No? Anyways, this chapter had to be short too, another cliff-hanger. And oh-no! Mai and Naru got into a fight! Poor Mai. She didn't even do anything! Yes yes. This new Mai swears, but only at certain times. Like when is she's pissed and stuff. And Mai let it all out! Who're the new guys? I hope this chapter had you grappling the edges of your seats, folks! Expect the next chapter up ASAP! :) Until then, this is Lilac SIGNING OUT! (I've always wanted to do that, hehe!) OH WAIT. PLEASE REVIEWW :3 Thanks to those of you who are reviewing! I love reading your comments! :D**


	7. The New Crew

**A/N: You guys liked it, YAY! Uh, wow. I think I should stop doubting myself, aha xD. ANYWAYS, I have band practice every Thursday; just a heads up, because I'm pretty sure that on future Thursdays I won't be able to update. Keep that in mind! I'm pretty confident that this will be a rather...filler chapter, but I just didn't want to leave you guys with nothing! D:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

Mai stood there, glaring daggers at the newly arrived group. Who the hell did they think they are? Clearly, everyone else were thinking along the lines too, because they were all glaring at the new-comers with disgust and repulsion.

"And WHO do you think you are?" Mai sneered, crossing her arms. All the attention of the leader, she presumed, turned on her. He was utterly gorgeous, but was nothing compared to Na- _STOP IT MAI_! She mentally slapped herself for thinking about the bastard who just fired her. For the sake of Christ, have some pride! Luckily, the man (the hot man) snapped her out of her rather degrading thoughts.

"Dante Harris. And who would you be, sexy?" He answered, waggling his eyebrows at her suggestively. Mai fought the sudden urge to roll her eyes.

"My name's shut the hell up you over-confident prick. Nice to meet you!" She responded with fake cheeriness. She could have sworn she heard Yasu mutter under his breath 'that's my girl...'; of course, she could be mistaken, but she was pretty sure she heard what she heard. Turning her attention back towards the idiot, she watched, bemused, as his eyes narrowed down to slits. Suddenly, he was closing in on her, evading his personal space.

"Listen, sweetie. Nobody denies Dante Harris. Keep that in mind, got that? He seethed, pointing a finger at Mai threateningly. Blinking, she realized the threat Dante possessed. Realizing how close he was, she suddenly got indignant. Who did he think he was, coming up on her like that? Smiling innocently, Mai brought her knee up, hard and fast. She hit him in un-marked territory, where the shine don't shine. Screaming in pain, he fell to his knees while clutching his man-stick.

"Don't mess with me, Dante. Stay away form me, and your pride won't get wounded. Got that?" Mai explained, slowly and coldly.

"THAT'S MY MAI!" Someone cheered from own below. It sounded oddly like...

"Bou-san?" Mai called, rushing over to peek down into the valley of never-ending greenery. Sure enough, the man was standing on his own two feet, staring up the porch steps with obvious pride in his eyes. She beamed down at him for a second, before running into his out-stretched arms. Bou-san had become the second fatherly figure in her life, the one she turned to when she was in the office or on a case.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She whispered, feeling a few tears cascade down her cheeks. The pain she felt whilst watching Bou-san fly through the air was surreal; she, for sure, never wanted to feel it again.

"Hey, you know I've never down for long. After all, I've got my little girl to protect." He winked, tightening his grasp. Mai giggled, before squirming out of his grasp. It felt good to let go of the problems at hand, even if it was for a little while.

"Anyways, we're setting up around the back parts of the manor. Don't come back there or else." Dante explained, a warning hanging onto the end of his sentence. Naru nodded once, a cold look on his face. Lin recognized that face. Madoka recognized that face. His parents recognized that face. Dante did not recognize that face. The new team, who's name they didn't catch, turned and walked back into the manor, leaving the others in a rather tense silence.

"Mai. Ignore what Naru said. I think it's clear we need your expertise to solve this case before anybody truly gets hurt." Martin begged, a pleading look in his eyes. Mai thought it over, knowing that what had happened in the courtyard was just a tease of what her uncle could really do. Did she want to risk losing her friends because she was too stubborn to put her pride aside and help out? Too dense to ignore Naru and concentrate on the case and those around her? Too hurt to...care?

No. Mai couldn't do that. Not to her new-found family. Closing her eyes to overcome the sudden wave of pain and exhaustion she was hit with, she reopened them a moment later to gaze at Martin.

"Fine, I'll stay." She managed to choke out, ignoring her heart's berating speed. She hoped-no, prayed-that she wouldn't regret this in the future. Martin practically beamed at her, and Mai managed to weakly smile back and ignore the glares she was getting from Naru.

"Something I miss...?" Bou-san asked hesitantly, catching onto the negative vibes flowing off Mai and Naru. Glancing at him uncertainly, Mai wondered how she would explain to him what the hell happened while he was out cold.

"Oh, not much. Just found out Mai's got crazy PK powers and that she's the long-lost daughter of Hannah and Derrick Raine; Alexis Marie Raine." Madoka informed him airily. He stared at Madoka for a second, just a second, before turning back to Mai with a wide, crazed smile.

"REALLY? THAT'S COOL!" Bou-san literally screamed in Mai's ears. Wincing, Mai chuckled weakly at him, genuinely shocked at his reaction. He didn't care...? Well, that was a nice change.

"Not really. Knowing if you said you were who you were and knowing you would be chased down by crazed scientists isn't exactly 'cool' in my books, Bou-san." Mai replied, sweat-dropping. He chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"Does anybody have any leads on this damned case?" Naru interrupted, his voice hard. Silence followed, everybody soon lost in their own thoughts yet still came up blank. Everyone, but Mai.

"They were most likely killed in the master bedroom. Our best guess would be looking in there first." Mai explained, hesitant. Everybody turned to stare at her, shocked.

"How do you know that?" Yasu asked, curious. Swallowing down the memories that were resurfacing, she responded.

"I...sat there and listened to them scream and yell and fight for a good five minutes before I was snuck out. They were definitely asleep before the ambush, otherwise...they'd be here..." Mai swallowed back the tears that were threatening to roll down her rosy-red cheeks. Luella was gazing at her with a pitied expression, whilst the others contemplated what she was going to say or do next.

"Anyways, it's already late. We should probably hit the sacks for now." Mai continued, clearing her throat nervously. She hated attention; no, scratch that. She despised it. Thankfully, everyone stopped staring and nodded, heading towards the porch steps. Martin carried Ayako carefully, shifting her slightly to make sure he didn't bump her into anything.

**A/N: Short, yes, I know. But it's better then nothing, isn't it? D: Review please. *Hangs head in shame***


	8. Blockades

**A/N: Well. I hope this shall be an interesting enough chapter. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far! :D Oh! And this chapter will be in Mai's POV...*cackles***

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

I watched, amused, as Luella criticized everything Naru was doing on our way back. I'm pretty sure it was for my benefit, and that alone brought a blinding smile to my face.

"Guys, if you don't mind, shall we investigate the bedroom right now?" Martin requested, glancing at us all in turn. I felt myself getting increasingly uncomfortable as his gaze lingered on me, inspecting my face for any detection of fear or weariness. Fighting the bubbling fear that was slowly rising in me, I returned his gaze with power. Seemingly satisfied, Martin turned away. Letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding, I stared dead ahead, the hallway so long it seemed never-ending. Quietly, I pondered on what we would find in the room. Would we find blood? Body parts? Corpses? I shuddered at the very thought of finding my parents' bodies...disembodied and bloody. Even worse, their lifeless eyes which had, at one point, held so much warmth and love.

"Mai? Are you okay?" Yasu asked, his eyes curious. Turning my attention to him, I nodded furiously. Nobody needed to think I was an attention-grabber. If anything, I hated the unnecessary attention people gave me out of pity. It made me seem weak, and I hated seeming weak.

"Ah, here we are." Martin's voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I realized we were standing in front of the master bedroom's double doors. Suddenly, I felt the fear and anxiety crash down on me like a big wave. Feeling light-headed, I leaned onto Yasu for support. Thank god he understood, because he wrapped an arm around my waist to hold me steady.

"Thanks." I murmured softly, not wanting anybody to hear. Of course, someone just had to hear. That someone had to be Naru, who was now giving Yasu and I a rather intense death-glare. I found myself fighting the strong, sudden urge to roll my eyes and poke my tongue out at him.

Turning my attention back onto Martin, I watched him slowly grasp and handle and throw open the door in one, fluid motion. Blinking, I realized it was pitch-black in the room, not even one bit of light coming out. Not even the light form the hallway...

"Wait!" I cried, suddenly realizing the abnormal lack of light. Hearing my cry, everybody turned towards me in alarm.

"It's...there's a blockade. We're going to have to bring it down." I explained, gesturing into the fathomless darkness. The others nodded, and Martin turned to inspect the blockade with low hopes.

"I don't think we can unblock this..." He told him with a sad tinge. The others, shocked, nodded numbly and turned to walk away in slight disappointment. They all clearly thought something was in the room.

"Wait! I...I can unblock it." I jumped in, ending off sounded hesitant and simply nervous. The others stared at me incredulously.

"Really?" Bou-san asked me, amazed. I nodded, smiling at him softly. So everybody backed up, giving me the space I needed. Slowly, I concentrated on my awakening powers, opening them up to be accessible. Soon enough, I felt the familiar energy flowing to my finger tips, eager to be used. I closed my eyes and sent the energy flowing towards the blockade, and felt the retaliation of the unknown force unwilling to break. Concentrating harder, I felt myself actually trying to unblock the room, which was a surprise. Someone put quite a bit of time and effort into this blockade. I almost felt sorry for having to break it. Almost.

Soon enough, the energy force gave away and I found myself retracting the PK. Even before I turned around and confirmed that it was gone, I could feel the awe in the room, literally.

"Okay, it's gone." I informed them, letting Martin pass me. Everyone congratulated me on my success as Martin walked in. Following in suite, I felt my insides freeze over at what I saw.

**A/N: -Runs-**

**Another chapter will be up tomorrow! Promise!**


	9. A StandOff

**A/N: As promised, here's the next chapter! To make up for the latest short chapters, I hope this one's really long! STILL IN MAI'S PERSPECTIVE!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Ghost Hunt, it would've gone like this.**

I stared in horror at what laid on the floor. Body parts. Everywhere. Upon closer inspection, we found dried blood smeared across the walls, floor and the bed. The years of non-caring showed in this room, too. As Martin ran his hand across the sheets, his hand came up coated with dust, bits of dried blood and grim.

"Oh lord..." Luella whispered to herself, putting a hand across her mouth. I knew they were all staring at me, save for Naru and Lin. They were being their stoic selves, examining the room with calculating eyes. Carefully, I stepped further into the room, ignoring the loud thumps coming from my heart.

"Oh my god..." I heard myself whisper in a paralyzed state. This. This is what happened that night, oh so long ago. I traced my fingers along the banister of the Victorian-styled bed, lost in the memories of the fun I used to have bouncing around on it.

"Mai dear? Are you alright?" Luella asked me, concerned. I nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to what was going on around me. Perhaps that's why I didn't see it coming.

Suddenly, I found myself flying through the room. Smacking into a fall, I landed on the floor like a sack of potatoes. Groaning, I shifted around until I could see what had thrown me.

"Hello, dear niece of mine." My uncle cackled, his eyes glinting maliciously. I found my own pair of eyes narrowing down to slits, my mouth opening in a snarl.

"Uncle." I responded coldly, getting to my feet with some difficulty. He smirked, obviously relishing the fact that he caused me pain, but I only smiled in return. As quick as lightning, I summoned a surge of PK and shot it straight at him, and watched as it hit him straight on. He screamed, and I snickered to myself as he was flung backwards by the sheer power of my PK.

"You little tramp!" He roared, summoning his full power. My eyes widened as I realized what he was about to do. I moved around, quickly, and shoved the others out of the room.

"Mai!" Ayako, Bou-san and Yasu screamed in dismay, just as I closed the door on them. I could feel myself getting drowsy already, but I had to stay strong. Closing my eyes, I pulled forth all my PK energy. The simple command itself almost brought me down to my knees. Almost. Gritting my teeth in pain, anticipation and concentration, I willed myself to fling the energy at him.

My dear uncle was doing the same; summoning all his stored energy and trying to take me down with it. The force of both immense sources of PK nearly tore the room apart, and almost killed me. But I couldn't let it. I had to stay strong. I had to end this once and for all. I had to avenge my parents.

I found myself sending forth quite a bit of PK, but not all of it. I had to bring this down to damned science to win against a master con-PKist.

Our PK surges met in midair, sizzling and sending sparks flying in all directions. I felt my hair being whipped back and forth, the gusts of wind harsh, strong, and unforgiving.

Bringing down one of my hands, I willed myself to bring out some more PK. Keeping one eye on the battle and one eye on my hand, I watched as the PK came to life. Swinging my arm around, I shot the extra bursts of power into the fully-fledged war. It seemed like I was going to win. It seemed like my uncle had ran out of power. It seemed like he was finally going to hell, whether he liked it or not, but that's not what happened. Hell, not even close. Someone just had to interrupt before I could finish him.

I watched in horror and shock as John burst through the door with the others in tow, his holy water in one hand and his beaten copy of the Bible in another. He chanted like there was no tomorrow, and flung the holy water at the spirit. At my uncle. I watched as the water hit its target, sending my uncle into a fury of howls.

"THIS ISN'T OVER ALEXIS!" I heard him rage, before everything was quiet, the PK having been diminished by the sudden disturbance. The others were staring at me, while I just stood there, frozen with shock and fury.

"What the hell!" I screamed, glaring at the others. They all withered back, save for Naru and Lin. Damn them. I marched over, and flung my arms out.

"I WAS SO BLOODY CLOSE TO GETTING RID OF THE SPIRIT. SO CLOSE! YET YOU JUST HAD TO COME IN, DIDN'T YOU!" I continued raging, my spit flying everywhere.

"Sorry Mai, I didn't know." John murmured, regret clear in his baby-blue eyes. Instantly, I felt sorry for yelling at him. I should be concentrating on the others.

"Not you John. You did what you thought you should have. Thank you, for that." I explained, giving him a quick hug. Pulling away, I watched him smile and shot him a smile in return, before turning on the others.

"But you. You guys knew what was going on! Why the hell did you let John in?" I asked, furious again. I know, I know. I seemed bipolar at the moment, but I honestly couldn't care less.

"It sounded like someone was dying! What did you expect us to do?" Ayako shot back, glaring at me and crossing her arms in defiance. I felt my eye twitch.

"I expected you to BLOODY LISTEN TO ME AND STAY OUTSIDE!" I roared, my voice bouncing off the walls. Everybody stared at me in shock, expect for Naru. Even Lin looked surprised this time, giving me a shocked look. Only for a mere second, though, before it returned to its normal, stoic look.

"We really are sorry Mai..." Bou-san stated, scratching the back of his head. I sighed in defeat and tiredness, before slumping against him.

"Whatever. Just...listen to me in the future, please?" I requested. I watched the five of them (Luella and Martin included) nodded their heads vigorously.

"Anyways, when did you get here John?" I asked, curious. By now, we were walking down the extremely long hallway again, Naru and Lin in the back, Luella and Martin in front of them, Bou-san and Ayako in the middle and John, Yasu and I in the front.

"Just a couple minutes ago. Masako and I had heard screaming, so I gave her the bags and ran down the hallway, trying to find everybody. She should be-"

A piercing scream interrupted his explanation, and soon enough I found myself running down the corridor, in search of the scream. It sounded like Masako, and I was sure something had happened. The others were close behind me, having heard the scream.

"Masako?" I called, coming to a fork in the paths. It was either take the grand staircase down into the foyer, or go down the corridor in which the workers used to reside.

Another screamed determined I should run down the workers' corridor. Turning my jog into a sprint, I followed the trail of screams, now more prominent than before.

"I'M COMING MASAKO!" I screamed down the hallway in a poor attempt to calm the girl down. Over the years, we'd come to set apart our differences and she let go of her obsession over Naru. Yeah, yeah. I knew it wasn't exactly an obsession, but it's what I always called it.

There. That had to be the room. Bursting through the door, I examined the scene in front of me. My uncle was advancing on Masako, a bloodied knife in one hand and a surge of PK flowing form the other. Upon my arrival, however, he paused and stared at me, grinning wickedly.

"Ah, so nice of you to join us Alexis!" He exclaimed with mock happiness. I snarled, and felt my fingers crackle to life with PK.

"Get away from her, uncle." I demanded calmly. I refused to lose it in the presence of my twit of an uncle. I simply didn't want to. When he shook his head no, I shot the PK bolts at him. He cursed loudly, before I felt his aura disperse. Closing my eyes in relief, I felt the others file in and rush over to where Masako sat, trembling. I felt myself jump when somebody's rather large hand cupped my shoulder. Turning slightly so I could see who it was, I was surprised when I realized it had been Naru.

"Are you alright?" He asked, an emotion churning in his midnight-blue eyes. An emotion I couldn't recognize. I nodded, choosing my next words carefully.

"Yeah, I'm fine. He didn't try anything...I'm pretty sure he's starting to toy with us again." I answered, a little put out. He nodded his head once, before removing his hand from my shoulder and turning his attention to where the others sat, clustering around Masako.

"Are you alright?" I asked, slightly concerned by her deathly-pale complexion. She looked even paler than usual, and that was saying something.

"Yes, Mai...I'm fine. Thanks to you." Masako responded, gazing at me in appreciation and gratitude. I smiled at her when I caught her eye; though, she didn't really have anything to thank me for.

"Let's call it a night. Everybody take a radio receiver with them in case someone else is attacked overnight. Ayako, Bou-san...you're sharing a room. Lin, Madoka...you're sharing a room. Mother, father...you're sharing a room. John and Masako, you're sharing a room. And Mai, you're with me." Naru instructed in a coll, collected voice. I began to nod, before I realized what Naru had said.

"WHAT?" I screeched, whipping my head around to stare at his retreating back. Oh god. This should be...an interesting night.

**A/N: Ouu, Mai's Uncle is playing with them again! See, John and Masako hadn't come with them, they came separately and be themselves. Probably will have another chapter up tomorrow! Oh, and by the way, I might just make some add on chapters about how their night go...*cackle* But that will be after I'm done with the story! So, yeah. Review please? (: See ya all tomorrow! Oh, and I'm still looking for a beta reader. That would be the cause of the small errors. I'm checking over my work often whilst typing it up, but yeah...anyways, bye!**


	10. The Nights They COULD Remember NaruMai

**A/N: Needless to say, I hoped you all enjoyed the last chapter! I had a heap-load of fun writing it! (: I'm going to keep writing from Mai's POV from now until I mention a change, so yeah! Read the A/N's, they're very helpful xD.**

**Anyways, this chapter is the first of: 'The Chronicles Of The Nights They Could Remember'; the rest will be scattered throughout the story; I hope you get a good kick out of it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt. **

Naru and I didn't talk to each other the whole way back to our room. As soon as we entered the room, I headed towards the bed, not even bothering to put on some pajama's. Snuggling under the covers (which were thankfully not covered in dust and grim), I felt the bed dip where Naru now lay.

"Naru, am I really fired?" I asked him, my voice soft. There was an impregnate pause, the room filled with tension. I held my breath, waiting for his response. It seemed like an eternity before he finally answered.

"No. I over-reacted. I'm...I'm sorry Mai." He told me, his voice cracking slightly. I felt my eyes widened; two of the most impossible occurrences just occurred. One: Naru apologized, legitimately. Two: His voice cracked. I couldn't help as a thought came to my mind; was the almighty Naru, the cold, heartless owner of SPR, be warming up? The thought itself sent me into a flurry of giggles, soon to turn into fully-fledged laughter.

"What's so funny?" Naru asked, sounding peeved. I tried to clam down my laughter, but I was failing miserably.

"No, nothing...just thought of something right after you apologized." I explained, tears of laughter running down my face.

"Oh really?" Naru growled, sitting up. I nodded, not trusting my voice. I had finally shut u- there I go again. I heard my laughter growing and growing in volume, and soon enough I found myself rolling around, clutching my stomach.

Suddenly, I found myself flying onto the floor, landing with a hard smack. Dumbfounded, I stared up at a smirking Naru.

"Don't laugh at me, idiot." He sneered, crossing his arms. Narrowing my eyes, I clambered back onto the bed and sat there for a moment. Just a moment. Too throw him off. Smirking evilly, I sent my elbow flying into his chest, and watched him fall back due to the force of the impact.

Next, I climbed onto him, and sat, straddling his hips. He stared back up at me, nothing but pure shock evident in his eyes. Leaning down, I whispered into his ear,

"Don't mess with me, Naru boy." With that, I started my reign of torture. The one method that would work no matter what.

I tickled my boss for all of what I was worth.

Cackling, I watched him squirm and curse as I tickled, my nimble fingers working tirelessly to get him to crack down to tears.

"Mai! Mai stop it!" He yelled, trying (but failing) to grab my hands. I giggled and shook my head. Then, I saw the perfect weapon, sitting in all its glory on the nightstand. I realized that it was probably days, weeks or even months old; even better.

Removing one hand from his sides, I reached out and grabbed the bottle of coke. Grabbing it, I pulled back my arm and smiled innocently at Naru.

And then I poured the coke on him, slowly but surely, until all of the bottle's contents were soaking through his shirt and pants.

"Oh dear, Naru...you look...a little murderous, aha." I giggled nervously, as he stared at me. Then I realized what was going to happen.

Squealing in panic, I threw myself off of him and ran towards the nearest haven; the closet. He would find me anywhere else in the manor.

Throwing myself in, I closed the door and locked it, and slid down to the closet's floor. I heard him yelling at me to open the door, but I didn't budge.

"Sorry Naru! I'm not in the mood to die! Maybe some other day, hm?" I called out, amused. I heard him swear at me (Luella would certainly disapprove of his choice of words) before he stomped off to the bathroom. I smiled in satisfaction.

Needless to say, I had to sleep in the closet that night. Hell, it was totally worth it.

**A/N: Mai's evil when she wants to be. Poor Naru! All he did was shove her off the bed! LOL, I hoped you enjoy! Review for my awesome double-upload!**


	11. Say WHAT!

**A/N: Sorry about not uploading sooner! Life and school caught up to me :( Anyways, to make up for that, a pretty decent chapter up today! (: Enjoy, folks! (Still in Mai's POV)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt**

I giggled breathlessly as I ran down the hallway towards base. Naru was still in the room, cursing and yelling. As I rounded a corner, I felt myself slam into a big, brick wall. More commonly known as Lin.

"Sorry Lin!" I apologized as we got up onto our feet. He gave me a small smile, before glancing over my shoulder with a slightly curious expression.

"Who're you running from?" He asked, noticing there was nobody chasing me...yet. I smiled innocently at him before replying.

"Naru...I sorta might have pissed him off a lot." I mumbled, glancing down sheepishly. I heard, to my utter surprise, Lin chuckle.

"Of course. I hope the next time i see you that you won't be injured." He replied, before moving aside. I beamed up at him, before I resumed running down the hallway. Jumping down the stairs with haste, I felt myself knock into someone...again.

"Sor-HEY YASU!" I yelled in greeting, smiling. He groaned in pain as response to my question, before I realized the others were in the foyer too. Then, a brilliant plan worked itself into my brain.

"DOG PILE ON YASU!" I screamed, pummeling his head with my fists. Through my roar of laughter, I somewhat heard the others cheer loudly before throwing themselves on top of me, causing me to lose my breath several times.

"OWW!" I yelled, thrashing around. Now, in the midst of it all, I realized that this may have NOT been the brightest idea. Then again, I never did act like the brightest crayon in the box...

"What the hell are you all doing?" A cold voice cut in, annoyed and pissed. I mentally groaned; now this was just a plain stupid idea that I put NO thought into AND he basically caught me. Oh joy.

"Mai dog-piled on me!" Yasu complained, smacking my head somewhat playfully. I glared at him for ratting me out, before I smacked his arm, hard. Yowling in pain, I watched, bemused, as he practically jumped into the air.

"BO-BO, PROTECT ME! SHE'S HARASSING ME!" Yasu wailed, crawling over to where Bou-san stood. For a moment, nobody spoke, before Ayako asked her question.

"You can him...Bo-bo?" She was clearly confused; I, on the other hand, felt my resolve cracking. Finally, I felt my laughter spill over as if a dam inside of me had cracked; hitting the floor hard, I rolled around literally screaming with laughter. Soon, the tears came, and I found my insides hurting like hell.

"Bloody hell, Yasu!" I screeched, nowhere near done laughing. He joined me down on the floor as I knew he couldn't take it anymore. Together, we died laughing on the floor, whilst the others stood around us chuckling.

"ENOUGH!" Naru yelled through the chatter, pissed off. I pulled myself off the ground with difficulty, before muffling my laughter with my sleeve.

"Now, I found some background information on this case, and you bloody hell shall listen!" He roared, glaring at each one of us in turn. I winced as the others stood quietly; this was sorta my fault. If I had not pissed him off, he'd be...well, his normal, stoic self. We all walked into the room that was acting as our base in silence, sitting down and waiting for him to start. As soon as the door was shut, he did.

"Apparently, the historians got the information wrong. Seika, Mai's uncle, apparently did not kill her parents right away..."-my heart clenched as I felt myself freeze over with shock-"...as he wasn't strong enough. Mai's parents were not given the right amount of credit for their strengths; apparently, their PK powers were above the normalcy of a level 10 PK-user."

"They fought for months, according to my research, and in the end, it became apparent that Seika had morphed himself and his PK energy into a bomb. Hannah and Derrick's last stand was, indeed, creating a thick PK shield around themselves and Seika; all three died in the bedroom."

"However, there was a single maid who had stayed behind, in order to help the couple with the, for the lack of a better word, war. She was well hidden whenever Seika made an appearance, but otherwise bustled around the manor, helping with all she could."

"It was 6 months after the initial attack that he blew them up. Seika's motive is, at the moment, still unidentified, but I learnt a few other things that may help with this case...or might throw us off even more." He paused, glancing at everyone in the room. Mai knew what he was doing; asking everyone, with his eyes, if they wanted him to share or not. Nobody voiced a disagreement, so Naru continued.

"Alright, so the first thing is that Seika had a twin brother. One who was apparently a butler in the Raine Manor. His name was Frederic."-I felt my insides churn; what?-"Second, Hannah was pregnant when the first attack happened, and before she died, she indeed gave birth." Naru finished, his eyes boring into mine.

"EXCUSE ME?" I shrieked, jumping to my feet in shock and despair. The last few statements I could take, but learning I had a little sister or brother? Not a chance.

"Mai, calm down for another few minutes and let me finish. Your PK levels are extremely high, correct?" Naru snapped, somewhat sympathetically, but his tone had an underlying sense of annoyance. I nodded, not trusting my voice anymore.

"And that's because your parents taught you to control the power?" He continued, his eyes never leaving my face. Again, I nodded; where was he going with this?

"Well...it's almost certain that your sibling has probably gotten the same amount of PK power as you, but without someone to help her control it...he or she is a loose cannon and can be used as a threat." He informed us. My blood ran cold; someone with a high amount of PK power, untrained?

"Naru...how do we know she's already not dead?" Martin asked, his senses on full alert. He, like Naru and I, could sense the danger we may be in; I knew that for sure.

"Because...you know the maid I told you about? She escaped with the baby while Seika was too busy attacking. So, unless something else happened, the child must still be alive." Naru explained, his eyes hardening slightly.

"So...was this 'maid' evil or...?" Bou-san asked, slightly nervous. I felt myself tense; my sibling could possibly be under the care of a psycho? Oh hell no.

"I'm...not sure." Naru sighed, covering his eyes with a hand. I massaged my temples, the stress building, but before anybody could say anything else, the doorbell rang. Frowning, I got up and walked back into the main entrance, Bou-san and Lin in tow. Opening the door, I cocked my head at the sight of a middle-aged woman and a teenager, who looked to be slightly younger than myself.

"Um, hello?" I greeted, slightly confused. Who the heck were these people? The lady smiled somewhat wearily, before gesturing at me with kindness.

"Hello, Alexis. I'd like you to meet your sister, Emiko." The woman announced, in a small, tired voice. I felt my jaw drop. Even under all the shock, all I could say was: "Well, miss. You have great timing."

**A/N: I know, I know! It's short! You guys deserve better than this, hurhurhur. :( Anyways, I'm hoping to get a LOT of writing done during the winter break; so don't hate on me just yet! It's just that school's been throwing work after work at us, and yeah...On a lighter note, I almost got bit by a rabbis-crazed stray dog! Oh joy! (Note the sarcasm) Anyways, I hope to get another chapter up soon. Review for me please! Can we get 100 reviews soon, hmm? I leave that as an open gesture to you all, folks! Until next time, Lilacccc OUT! :D **


	12. Lights Of Death And A Fight To The End!

**A/N: Hey guys! Loads of things will (should) be cleared up for you in this chapter! Enjoy, as always! Still in Mai's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt. :)**

I moved over so that the duo could walk in, my mind a turmoil of emotions. So Naru wasn't lying, was he? My heart clenched painfully as the sense of betrayal hit me with its full-force. So, I left my parent while they were still alive? What kind of daughter does that? Not to mention that I may have been living with a complete TRAITOR the last 14 years. Why hadn't Frederic ever told me that he was Seika's BROTHER? Much less my blood-related uncle? Bou-san must've seen me stressing over the matter, because he had put a hand on my shoulder and was watching me with soft eyes.

"Hey, Mai. There's got to be a reason for all of this. Don't kill yourself over it, alright?" He murmured sternly, watching me for my reaction. I nodded slightly, holding back the sudden urge to cry. He smiled gently, as if sensing my pain, before grabbing my upper-arm and maneuvering me back into base, where Naru was questioning the woman and Emi...Emiko? Yeah, that was her name.

"Here she is." Naru told the older woman, before grabbing my hand and pulling me to his side. Today, I ignored the flutters in my stomach at the physical contact; I had too much on my mind to be flustered.

"What?" I asked him softly, slightly confused. What did he want? Shifting over slightly, I gasped in surprise as Naru pulled me onto his lap and held me around my waist. Everybody, minus the newcomers, were staring at him in surprise, but hid it with a smirk sent in my direction.

"Tell them what you know. Let's piece this mystery together, shall we?" Naru responded to my earlier question. I knew what he was doing; over the years, he had learnt to be more compassionate whenever something horrible happened. I liked this side of Naru; it was calming, caring. Much better than his stoic side.

"Well, all I know was the night the first attack happened, Frederic had me out the door and across the border overnight. I'm learning about Emiko and the 6 months now, literally 5 minutes ago." I explained, my voice still soft. Emiko nodded slowly, taking in what I had said whilst watching me with curious eyes. I smiled tentatively at her, somewhat nervous. A flurry of questions went through my head. What if she didn't like me? What if she was a complete bitch to everyone around her?

"Mai!" Yasu's frantic voice cut through my thoughts, causing me to turn my head and stare at him. He paused, probably for dramatic effect, and then asked me his oh-so-important question.

"Do you have any cheese?" He pronounced the words slowly. I cocked my head to the side, letting the words sink in. What...?

"Yeah, sure. Blue cheese. Only thing is, there's a LOT more blue than there is cheese." I retorted, crossing my arms across my chest. Everybody burst out laughing, even my sister.

The older woman even chuckled lightly, amusement written as clear as day across her face. I smirked in victory, as Yasu pouted and lowered his head in submission; his way of saying I won this round of our discreet joking game we kept going no matter where we were.

"Moving on...we're going to try an exorcism today. Bou-san, John, that will be you guys. Mai...if anything goes out of hand, I'm giving you the permission to do whatever you choose to do. EXPECT for playing the 'hero' role and sacrificing yourself. Let's move, team!" Naru ordered, pushing me off his lap slightly. Jumping up with a new-found gusto, I cheered as we all strode out of the room with Emiko and the other woman, who's name was Annalise, in tow.

Suddenly, a cold-blooded fear settled over me, and I felt myself freezing over with dread. I knew that feeling, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Naru, he's waiting for us in the master bedroom..." I whispered, grabbing his arm and swinging him around to face me. He searched my face for a second, a fleeting emotion in his eyes, before calling out for the rest of the group to stop.

"Mai's leading this." He informed them. I nodded in recognition of his plan; this was getting out of hand. Seika was out to kill, and at this point it didn't matter who he exactly killed.

"Alright, so. I'm going in alone and handled that bastard. I'm finishing this once and for all. You guys stay outside, make sure we don't destroy the whole house. IF I need the help, I'll yell something out. Any objections, other than the boys saying I can't handle this?" I instructed, glancing at all of them.

"I'm helping." Emiko said, a predatory light in her eyes. I glanced at her, and I smiled despite myself. She reminded me of myself so much it was sorta scary. She had the same, stubborn expression planted on her face, alongside a taste of her unbreakable determination. Giving her a curt nod, I motioned for everyone to start moving again. We jogged up and stairs and down the long corridor, and soon enough we were standing in front of the double doors that led off into hell- AKA the master bedroom.

"I'll see you all when it's over?" I said quietly, gazing at the group. The group that had become my family over the last two years. The group that took care of me whilst Frederic couldn't. Now, they were staring at me; wide-eyed and teary-eyed, save for Naru, his parents and Lin.

"Be careful Mai..." Ayako whispered, covering her mouth with her fingers. My heart clenched; this is what true family was. I nodded once, and took a deep breath before walking into the room with Emiko at my side. It was relatively dark, expect for the thin beams of light coming from the cracks in the blinds. It was dark, but also silent. Squinting, I listened for any sense of movement aside from Emiko and my own. Beside me, Emiko was filling her palms with PK. I smiled; good, she knew the basics.

"Where is he?" She asked me, her eyes darting all over the place. I shrugged as I filled my own palms with PK, when his chilling voice filled the cold, dead air.

"Well, thank you for joining me, my dear nieces!" He cackled, before finally showing himself. He floated just a few feet away from us, his eyes shining with hatred and ballistic power.

"Thank you for giving us the chance to kill you." Emiko retorted in response, clenching her teeth. He nodded, as if recognizing her spunk.

"Well, night night Seika." I added, before springing into action. Darting forward at a lightning-fast pace, I swung my arm up and shot out bolts of PK. Emiko, following my lead, swung around to his other side and shot at a furious pace whilst I kept him distracted.

"You little-!" He roared, before swinging his own arms out and sending us flying into the walls. I groaned, having hit the vanity mirror. Struggling onto my feet, I staggered over to where Emiko stood, wincing as she put weight onto her legs.

"Kick it up a notch?" She asked with a wink. I grinned and nodded in response, before turning on Seika. Closing my eyes in a moment of concentration, I felt my stronger sense of PK come forth; passed the weaker chasms. Reopening my eyes, I pulled my lips back in a smirk before launching the now green surges at Seika. For a moment, his eyes widened in panic, before he composed himself and shot back equally strong surges. I felt my eyes narrow; so he WAS playing with us. Good to know.

Stepping towards him, I fought the strength of his own power. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Emiko shoot in her own surges; only slightly weaker than mine.

I smiled despite myself; my sister was almost exactly like me. Suddenly, Seika roared in anger, and I found myself being propelled backwards. Shocked, I watched as his surges turned into the blood-red of a level 9 PK-ist. Why was he going all out? He was going to disperse himself!

"Mai?" I heard Naru yelling, faintly. So he knew something was suddenly wrong. Did he have cameras in this room? Were his parents horrified at the sudden changes? I didn't have time to think about what they were thinking now; I had to make a quick decision. Taking in a deep breath, I released my last resort. The last resort that would probably end up killing me. I released my level 10 PK surges.

Struggling with the overwhelming urge to just lay down, go to sleep and never wake up, I watched my surges turn into the deathly shade of purple; the colour that indicated immense power.

"What are you DOING? You're going to kill yourself!" Seika yelled, flabbergasted. I ignored him, and pushed myself forward. Suddenly, I realized that the surges were starting to fly everywhere. Everywhere included where Emiko stood. Making a fast move, I kept up my surges whilst shoving Emiko behind me using my shoulder. Ignoring her cries of protest, I turned back at the 'war' at hand, watching Seika struggle under my wrath.

"You're go-going to k-k-kill yourself!" He cried, trying to get me to back down. Hah. He clearly did not know what kind of person I was.

"No. This is what revenge tastes like, Seika!" I screamed, shoving my arms forward one last time. I watched as he disappeared behind the twists and strands of purple and red light; the lights of death. His mangled, muffled scream was the last thing I heard from him before it was deathly silent yet again.

"Finally..." I whispered, swaying on my feet. I felt as if my body was slowly shutting down, starting with my legs. Feeling them give away, I fell down to my knees. Emiko, realizing what was happening, ran across the room and threw the door open and shouted something incoherent.

"MAI! MAI STAY WITH US!" Ayako screamed, racing over to where I sat, slumped. My breathing came out short, ragged and quick.

"He's...gone..." I whispered, my chest constricting. I felt someone grabbed me and fling me into somebody else's arms, where I now lay bridal style.

"Mai!" Yasu cried out, grabbing onto my arm. Someone, I think Ayako, pride him off, before inspecting me. I felt my eyelids falling over my eyeballs, shielding my eyes from the world.

"She used her level 10 surges! She used all her life source!" I heard Emiko sob. Muffled voices. Garbled shouting. That was all I could hear. I knew what was happening; my senses were shutting down.

"Bye...guys...love you all..." I whispered, my voice barely audible. With that, I felt my body let my spirit go. But before I did, I thought that I heard, just faintly, the sound of Frederic cursing.

**A/N: Isn't that a nice place to end? Mai most likely dying? Anyways, I hope you liked! I thought this was a pretty long chapter, compared to the others! Review if you want Mai to live, or if you want me update sooner! :D**


	13. InBetween

**A/N: Well, for once, I don't know what to say except for some rather intriguing/interesting/shocking news! I'm going to make this a multi-case fanfic IF, and ONLY if, you guys get me to 100 reviews in the next few chapters (so, basically, before this case ends). This case will end in the next few chapters, so don't miss this chance! Please and thank you! I'm dearly sorry if this is rather demanding (is it?) but as it is my first multi chapter fanfic, I would like to see it reach some level of popularity. I know there's enough of you to do it, too! My hot-mail is FLOODED with notifications of 'faves' for the story, so please! And this is STILL in Mai's POV!**

**Disclaimer: Ghost Hunt is NOT mine!**

I opened my eyes to complete, utter whiteness. Everything surrounding me was the colour of snow; white. Whiter here white there.

"Where am I?" I muttered to myself. I got onto my feet, feeling rather rejuvenated. Before I could even take a few steps forward, however, I heard a rather familiar voice. Or three, to be exact.

"Your soul has fallen into the in-between." He said, and I turned. And I almost had a heart attack. Almost. There, standing in all their glory, were my parents and Gene.

"HOLY! GENE! MOM! DAD!" I screamed, jumping back a good distance. Was I dead? No, wait. Gene said 'in-between'. Was I on the verge of life or death?

"Hi sweetie." Dad smiled, his eyes shining with...pride? I smiled back in response, still slightly confused. Why were they all there? How was I not already, well...dead?

"You're confused." My mom stated, smiling. I nodded, glad someone realized I was unaware of what was going on.

"Basically, this is where 'lost' souls go when their bodies have severe injuries. But if you are able to be kept alive, you come here; if not, you...don't." Gene explained, his eyes hardening. I nodded, the words processing in my head. I wasn't dead, but I wasn't alive exactly either. I glanced back up at the trio, and that's when realization hit me. There could only be ONE way spirits floated around in the in-between, and that way was...

"WAIT! YOU THREE AREN'T REALLY DEAD YET?" I yelled, staring at them in disbelief. Smirks and a smile met my shocked expression, confirming my thoughts.

"You're kidding me!" I fumed, stomping my foot. Inside, I was rejoicing; although, I wasn't prepared to tell them that yet. Not until I get some answers.

"Yes, Mai. We're still alive, all of us. But Seika has taken great measures to hide our bodies. We cannot tell you directly where they are, let alone direct you." Mom explained, her expression wary.

"B-But...how come I'm learning this NOW?" I asked, slightly put-out. So they couldn't tell me where their bodies were. But why didn't they try and contact me earlier?

"You weren't ready to take on Seika all alone. With Naru and the others at risk, though, you rose to the challenge and ended Seika's reign of terror." Dad explained, still shining with pride. I nodded slowly but surely. So, they were waiting for the right time to contact me.

"So, are your bodies still in the manor?" I asked, getting whatever information I could. They nodded, waiting for me to say something else.

"That settles it, then. I'm setting off to find your bodies as soon as I'm deemed alive." I decided with an air of finality and confidence. My parents beamed at me whilst Gene chuckled. I was practically bouncing on the balls of my feet; I was going to get reunited with my parents and my best friend again!

"Mai, do not take this mission lightly. It shall be harder than you believe." My mom warned, pointing a finger at me. I nodded slowly; the manor was a huge mansion; not to mention the acres and acres of greenery surrounding it.

"So, when do I go back?" I asked, slightly worried. How was the gang coping? Did they think I was...gone? Gene shook his head lightly, before replying.

"When your life force regains strength. I have something to show you in the meantime." He expalined, gesturing with his hands. I nodded, wondering what exactly Gene was going to show me. Suddenly, I found myself flying through time. Feeling as if my body was being torn apart, I stood and waited for it to end. Abruptly, we were back in the master bedroom in the manor. Confused, I glanced at Gene. He simply offered me a sad smile.

"I thought you would like to see why I lost to Seika." He informed me, his voice cold. I felt my eyes widened in shock; clearly, Gene didn't go down without a massive breakout. Nodding slightly, I turned my attention back to the memory.

"Seika! Where are you!" Gene was bellowing. Stunned, I watched as a younger version of Gene search through the room, his eyes ablaze. Clearly, my best friend had been furious whilst taking on her uncle.

"Why hello, Eugene." Her uncle's voice vibrated through the room, making him seem like his was everywhere at once. Even though he was gone, the mere sound of hi nasal voice made my eyes narrow; just who did he think he was?

"You killed my best friend. And her parents." Gene's voice was deathly calm, but I could sense the underlying pain and anger. I felt my own heart crumbling; how could I have left my best friend hanging like that? As if sensing my thoughts, Gene reached out and grabbed my hand in a comforting way. In return, I smiled at him, before returning my attention to the fast-paced fight that was coming.

"I know." Seika replied almost lazily. Instantly, I felt rage fill every inch of me. Seika didn't even have the courtesy to tell Gene he never killed me! Gene's hold on my hand tightened, as if asking me to stay calm for another few minutes.

"You're going to pay." Gene informed him, a hard gleam in his past eyes. Seika nodded, as if accepting the challenge, before the action started.

I watched, paralyzed, as Gene's former self darted forward at a lightning speed. PK fluttered in his hands, coming to life but slowly. Seika, noticing Gene's disadvantage, smirked and floated back leisurely. It sickened me to no extent the amount of fun Seika seemed to be having, causing people pain.

"Your PK..." I whispered, noticing how much weaker it seemed. What was going on? Gene, snapping out of a seemed reverie, answered my question.

"He put charms up in the room. That's also why you took so long to defeat him." Gene was bitter, I could tell. I would, too, if I was tricked into something like this. Seika sure had no pride; that, I was sure of.

"What's wrong, pup? Don't got enough energy on you?" Seika laughed, his taunting cruel. Memory-Gene snarled something incoherent in response, before jumping at Seika yet again. As a spectator, though, I could tell he was tiring. His energy source had been diminished to start off with, but now it was almost completely exploited.

"Oh, poor boy. You have spirit, I'll give you that. But spirit isn't enough to get through life, boy. Night night!" Seika laughed, before sending a particularly strong surge of PK at Gene. I watched, my body stiff, as the surge hit Gene head-on. Upon impact, his body was sent flying into the wall, leaving a large-sized dent.

"Now, time to dispose of your broken pieces." Seika cackled with relish. With that, everything surrounding me turned black, indicating the end of the memory. Frozen in shock, I didn't say anything for the first few moments.

"Mai?" Gene asked, slightly concerned. I nodded, inclining that I had heard his voice. He grabbed my shoulder and maneuvered me around in the darkness.

"He didn't even tell you I wasn't dead..." I whispered, shell-shocked. Was this why Gene died? Dirty tricks, pride-less idiocy?

"Calm, Mai. Don't worry, I have faith you'll find our bodies." Gene assured me, smiling warmly despite the replay of his last, living memory. I nodded, submitting. No use in dwelling on the past. Even though that past was caused by me.

"I'm finding your bodies if it's the last thing I do." I vowed sincerely, gazing at him. He nodded, thanking me with his eyes. I beamed back at him, before turning back to the front. Soon enough, we found ourselves walking towards my parents, who were waiting for us. As we closed distance, my mom took a step forward with a smile on her face. I smiled back, unsure of what brought on the sudden happiness.

"Mai, it's time for you to go back." She told me softly. My eyes widened with delight and surprise; my body was already healed?

"You're a quick healer, alright." Gene chuckled. I laughed along, but I was actually pretty sad. Already I had to leave my family and my best friend.

"Hey, cheer up. It's not going to be for long, right? You're going to find our bodies, I just know it!" Gene assured me with a bright smile.

I found myself starting to smile slowly, recognizing the optimistic aura surrounding us. With one final wave of goodbye, I closed my eyes and felt myself being morphed back into my body.

"I wonder when she'll wake up..." Ayako was whispering, her voice sounding...scared? I was awake, I knew that much, but I didn't open my eyes just yet. What had they been talking about?

"I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't get out of this coma..." Yasu replied, sounding defeated. Realization dawned on me; I was in a coma. Of course! My body had shut down due to the lack of energy...so I was in a coma. That's why everyone was on an edge!

"I wonder if Seika's really gone or not..." Martin trailed off, sounding lost and broken. I was pretty sure that he was; nobody could survive a level 10 PK surge. Not even Seika.

"I just want my Mai to wake up." Bou-san stated, and by he tone of his voice I could tell that he was slumping. Murmured agreements filled the hospital air, and I found myself opening my eyes.

"Miss me?" I asked, grinning cheekily. Needless to say, they all freaked out pretty bad.

**A/N: That's probably one of the longer chapters! Phew! I had fun writing the little Mai x Gene moments (: Again, I hope you all review! I have high hopes for this story! Lilaccccc OUT!**


	14. A Family Moment

**A/N: Tra la la la la la la la lalalalala. Time for s'more FAMILYYYY moments for our dear Mai! Still in her POV, hope you all enjoy! Most likely amount of chapters until this case is closed: 5. A special thanks to all of you who review consistently! This one's dedicated to y'all! :3 Decided to put a lighter spin on the first bit just for you guys! Hope you get a few good laughs out of it (:**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

Everything was chaotic, to say the least. Questions were flying, as were insults and threats. Why? I had no idea. It simply started off with people yelling at me for being stupid, and then things went from there. Not that I'm saying watching people yell at each other wasn't interesting; heck, I wish I had some popcorn.

"LOVE ME, BOU-SAN, LOVE ME!" Yasu was yelling from where he lay on the floor. Bou-san, on the other hand, was trying to jump out of the window. Too bad Martin and John were stopping him. No, no. Don't get me wrong; Bou-san isn't suicidal. He just couldn't take anymore of Yasu's annoyance. Considering the fact he'd been going on and on and on for the last 3 hours or so...

"ENOUGH!" Naru yelled, having finally lost it. Silence settled, Yasu having shut up. Bou-san, letting out a sigh of relief, sank to the floor and sat there. I smirked to myself, hiding my laughter with difficulty.

"Now, Mai. Is it safe to say that we can go home?" He asked me, an underlying sense of desperation in his voice. I hesitated; should I tell them about my mission and get them involved? Fighting against the urge to keep them out of danger, I followed the logic.

"Er, spirit-wise...yes. But...there's more to it and it involves my parents and Gene." I explained, nervous. Instantly, Lin, Martin, Luella and of course, Naru, were on high-alert.

"What do you mean, Mai?" Naru asked, a hard-edge to his voice. I cocked my head to a side, trying to decide how I was going to word this.

"Well, they're all still alive...but their bodies are well-hidden in the manor." I told him. He nodded, still wearing a wary, broken expression. I could relate though; at first, I had doubted that they were telling the truth. If I was being truly honest with myself, I still kinda did doubt it. Who knew if it was a dream or not...either way, I was going to try. I didn't think I could take it if I didn't at least try.

"Alright, so we're looking for the bodies. Would anybody else like to join us, or would you prefer to go home?" Naru asked, directing his words at the SPR gang. Ayako took a look at the others, before stepping up and speaking.

"Of course I'm helping, you idiot. Why wouldn't I?" She retorted, but when she glanced at me I could see the love and affection her eyes held. I smiled in return; Ayako, although sometimes cold-hearted, truly did care. They all did, even though some show it more than others. It had been what we've been building for the last two years.

"I'm helping you, too!" Yasu chirped, sitting on the edge of my bed. I smiled at him, before I felt an arm being slung across my shoulder. Glancing sideways, I realized it had been Bou-san.

"I'm helping you guys too. I wanna see my little girl get reunited with her parents." He beamed. I nodded my head in gratitude, feeling a couple tears of happiness and gratefulness slide down my cheeks.

"Well, then. Let's get going!" Luella exclaimed, clapping her hands together. I laughed at5 her enthusiasm; little did she know that checking me out was a large process...much to all of our dismay.

**- G H O S T . H U N T -**

I took in a deep breath as soon as I was out of that hell-hole...also known as the SPR van. I honestly, yet again, thought I was going to die.

"Thank you, oh greater beings, for letting me get out of there with my life." I muttered to myself. Several snickers followed my statement, and I found myself stomping up the porch steps in frustration. My 'family' could be so, extremely annoying at times. I'd been so caught up in my thoughts, I didn't even realize someone else was outside until I ran smack-dab into their back.

Groaning as I stumbled back, I glanced up and was about to apologize when I realized WHO I ran into; Frederic. Gasping in shock, I stood there for a second, paralyzed. Then I remembered what he'd been keeping from me for the last 14 years of my damned life.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" I screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Frederic. Startled by my sudden outburst, he jumped slightly. Then, he realized what I was asking and a weary, tired look appeared on his face. Running a hand over his face, he took his sweet time answering.

"Because it would've put you in danger...again. And it would also mean telling you about your parents not being dead yet. Not to mention your sister. It would've put you in a hell of a lot of danger, Alex. That was the last thing I wanted for you." He said, sounding defeated. I let out a huff, before crossing my arms across my chest and turning away. Childish, but I felt so betrayed.

"Alexis, you listen here. As my niece, I loved you with all my heart. I was named your godfather, too. For that sole reason I was being over-protective. PLEASE, understand where I'm coming from, angel. Please?" He continued, begging. I glanced back at him, and was shocked to see his eyes glistening. Frederic, in the 18 years I've known him, has never cried. He was truly sorry, wasn't he? Rushing over to him, I hugged me and snuggled into his chest.

"Fine. But don't keep things form me in the future, got it?" I warned him playfully, smiling. He chuckled, his chest vibrating, before kissing the top of my head and nodding. I swear I heard a few 'Awws' but I couldn't care less. Still, at the back of my mind was a nagging question.

"Why were you a butler?" I asked, confused. If he was blood-related to me, why did he work for my parents? Was I missing something?

"I was...ah, under-cover. Protecting you whilst under the protection of the manor's charms." He answered, chuckling. I nodded, understanding.

"Anyways, I was wondering...is it alright if we take Emiko back with us to Japan?" Frederic asked, his eyes twinkling. I whirled around in his embrace to stare up at him in shock. Sure, I wanted her to come...but just like that? No complications?

"Seriously?" I asked, disbelieving. Frederic nodded, his jet-black eyes sparkling. I squealed in happiness, pulling out of his embrace and searching for Emiko. There she stood, her eyes anxious. Bouncing over, I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

"You're coming with Fre-Fre and I! YAY!" I cheered, overly happy. She giggled, her hazel eyes filled with joy. It seemed as if everything was perfect...but there was still one matter to attend to. Turning to the others with new-found gusto, I smiled widely.

"Let's find us some bodies!" I yelled, fist pumping.

**A/N: Yes, it's shorter than your usual fill, but I've had a lot on my mind. Anyways, expect longer chapters in a bit! Winter Break is just around the corner! :3 As one of the reviewers requested, a little bit more info on Emiko is coming up...as I want her and Mai to bond before the case is over (: Review please! You're 28 reviews away from 100! I hope you all get there! xD. Lilacccc...OUT!**


	15. Realization With Gusto

**A/N: As promised, here's a bit more on Emiko and Mai! I hope you enjoy! YOU GUYS ARE 25 REVIEWS AWAY! 4 MORE CHAPTERS TO GET THERE! Good luck, folks! Still Mai's POV!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt!**

We had paired off and were searching through the manor, assigned sector by assigned sector. Naru had gone off with Lin, Bou-san was with Ayako, Martin was with Luella, John was with Masako and Frederic was with Annabelle. Turns out they knew each other because Frederic checked up on Emiko once and awhile. I, on the other hand, was partnered up with my sister.

"So..." I said cautiously, placing my hands behind my back. I was nervous, and you could clearly tell. She glanced over at me, smiling softly. I could tell, though, that it was a fake one; it didn't reach her caramel-coloured eyes. Why was that?

"Is...something wrong?" I asked, concerned. Was it me? She glanced up, blinking, before realizing I knew she was wearing a facade. Hiding behind a certain of lies. Wearing a poker-face. Whatever you want to call it. Frowning in concentration, she seemed to be putting her thoughts together...cautiously.

"It's just...weird. I have a sister..." She finally admitted. I took a sharp breath in; so now I was weird? Nodding my head once, I sped up my pace, too ashamed to look back at her.

"No, wait! That's not what I meant! YOU'RE not completely wacko like your friend Yasu!" Emiko called after me, jogging to catch up. I giggled despite my hurt feelings, before giving her a chance to explain.

"Well, my whole life, I was told I was an orphan. My parents died in a car crash when we were coming back from the hospital...and Anna took me in. She said that I had special powers, and I was home-schooled. Taught the liberal arts...but mostly how to control PK. I've never actually had real friends, considering I'm not allowed to leave the house no matter what. So...when Anna told me we were going to see someone who was linked to my past...I never knew she meant a sister! Now, I learn about everything...I learnt that my parents died keeping me safe, I learnt that I have a sister. On top of that, it's claimed that my so-called parents are still alive! How else do you expect me to react, Mai?" By the end of her semi-rant, she was broken down to tears. Feeling my heart reach out, I pulled her into a comforting hug, shedding my own share of tears.

"Shh...sweetie, it's okay. I'm here for you." I whispered, clutching her to my chest. She let out a soft whimper and I rubbed her back consolingly.

"Sorry..." She whispered, pulling back and rubbing her eyes fiercely. I chuckled at the uncanny resemblance; she was almost exactly like me. I hated showing people I was weak, but at times it was like a dam broke somewhere inside me and everything came flooding out at once. I'm pretty sure Emi was like that too. Hm, Emi...good choice of a nickname! I grinned mentally, delighted with my choice of a nickname.

"It's all good, m'dear Emi!" I grinned stupidly, before grabbing her hand and literally dragging her down the corridor. She giggled and playfully complained, but we were getting along pretty well. About halfway to our destination, I remembered something. Something important.

"BLOODY HELL!" I screamed, before darting back around. Emi called after me, but I didn't stop and explain. Halfway down the hallway yet again was when I heard her curse loudly and follow me.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING?" She screamed as we jetted down the small flight of stairs that brought us back onto the third floor. We had been heading towards the attic, but now I knew where they were.

"THE MASTER BEDROOM!" I screamed back. She voiced her confusion, before darting after me. I was jogging now, slightly out of breath. Truth be told, I had better endurance than this but the stress and weariness of the past few days was taking a toll on me. Emiko, due to my decrease in speed, caught up to me soon enough. Together, we raced down the hallway of the second floor. My heart was racing; why hadn't I thought of it before? It was so obvious I wanted to smack myself.

"MAI SLOW DOWN!" Emiko screamed with desperation. Suddenly I realized I had picked up speed, and was now almost flying down the final set of stairs. Ignoring her plea, I instead increased my speed. I was so close, I could literally taste it.

"NO! HURRY UP EMI!" I flung over my shoulder with slight irritation. Couldn't she see I was onto something? Finally, we were at the master bedroom. Throwing the door open, I walked in on a extremely startled Naru.

"Mai?" He asked, slightly irritated.

"I know where their bodies are!" I informed him excitedly. His eyes widened slightly, before he re-composed his expression and gestured for me to show him. Walking passed Naru, I headed towards my mom's closet. Opening the door, I threw aside the clothes that still hung there, coughing as dust flew up and into my face. My face brightened with pride in myself as I cleared off the pathway to the secret door. The secret door which nobody knew about...expect for my mom, my dad, direct family and I.

"Let the truth come out..." I muttered to myself. Taking a deep breath, I reached for the doorknob and threw the door open.

**A/N: Short, but you guys enjoyed the last chapter so much I though I give you something whilst I wrote out my cards to friends. Tomorrow's the last day of school! Anyways, I decided on a cliffy. I'll write the next official chapter after the holidays (should be up on the 27th). Hopefully, I can get up a one-shot for you guys on Christmas day. :) Review, as always! I hope I did justice to Emiko when I wrote about her past! You guys are 22 reviews away now...yay! I hope you get there:D! Now, I have to finish my cards. It's hard, because I'm writing a little story bit that matches each of their personalities. URGH. I got 9 more to write. ): Oh well, I love my buddies. Enough of my rambling, I wish you ALL some happy holidays, JUST in case I can't get on for the holiday weekend! Love you all...thanks for ALL the support you've given me for this story. It means quite a lot to me! (:**


	16. Merry Christmas!

**A/N: As promised, here's your little taste of an SPR Christmas! Things may or may NOT fit in with the plot of 'Forgotten Past', I'm not sure yet...nonetheless, I hope you like it(: Mai's POV. (:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt**

I smiled as I put up the last bit of the decorations. Grabbing a ripped piece of tape off the table, I stuck it onto the end of the streamer. Jumping off the step stool I was using for some height, I put my hands onto my hips and surveyed my work.

Brightly coloured streamers hung room every corner of the room, gathering in bunches then falling down in slow spirals. Christmas lights decked every visible surface in the small room, supported by dozens of pieces of tape. The light bounced off the streamers, giving the room an ethereal glow.

Along with the decorations, a tall Christmas tree stood in the corner, looming over. I was the proudest about the tree; even though it took me a good week, I had found the perfect-sized one in a far-off store. Buying a hell of a lot of ornaments, I spent quite a bit of time just to decorate it. Now, there it stood in all its glory, shimmering with beauty, almost as if it was an illusion.

"Mai? You in there?" Yasu's voice came. I turned, and beamed when I saw Yasu standing in the doorway. Waving at him, I bounced over.

"Hey Yasu!" I chirped happily, hugging him. His chest rumbled as he laughed at my over-enthusiasm, before he hugged me back. I pulled him into the room and forced him to marvel my work. He voiced his awe, before the others started walking in.

"Mai you did a wonderful job!" Ayako gushed, her eyes rooming the room. I laughed thanking her, but suddenly the room turned cold. Er, well...sure felt that way. Almost as if the devil emerged from the pits of hell-

"What's going on in here?" Naru's cold voice demanded. Everyone who'd been chatting and wishing each other happy holidays, froze and turned to stare at the dev- I mean Naru.

"Uhm...well...I sorta...decorated the place and invited the crew over?" I mumbled nervously, glancing at him from under my lashes.

"Mai, my office, now." He snarled, before stalking off. Sighing, I got up and walked in after him. He stood behind his desk, his back to me. The curtains weren't drawn, making the room even more darker than it should've been. Closing the door quietly, I stood beside it..just in-case I'd need to run.

"Why didn't you ask for permission?" He demanded, his voice suddenly cutting the thick silence. I jumped, startled by the sudden question, before answering.

"I didn't think I'd need it, considering I did the same thing last year..." I said, huffing. His eyes widened a fraction, before he regained his composure.

"You threw a party last year?" He asked, confused. I paused, letting his words sink in. What did he mean? We partied until dawn...

"Yes...?" I said, glancing at him. He blinked, before sitting down and putting his head in his hands.

"Just go Mai..." He muttered, dazed.

"You want some tea?" I offered, with a small smile. He nodded, then got up and walked over to the door. Suddenly, it flew open, revealing a grinning Bou-san and a Yasu with a slightly crazed expression on their faces.

"MISTLETOE!" They sang, and much to my dread, pointed above where Naru and I stood. Slowly, I listed my head up and stared at the festive, little plant.

"KISS HER KISS HER KISS HER!" They chanted, much to my annoyance. Couldn't they just leave? Suddenly, I felt all rational thought leave me as Naru's lips covered mine. For 5, seemingly long seconds, I stood there, paralyzed with shock and delight.

Five seconds later, he was gone, walking out the door and passed by a shell-shocked Bou-san and a Yasu who looked like he was about to faint.

"What the hell!" I screamed, stomping my foot, "How did the mistletoe get there?" I demanded, staring at the two.

"That would be I..." A passing-by Lin answered, a small smile playing his lips.

Dumbfounded, I watched him walk by. What a Christmas miracle...Lin actually somewhat smiled! Shocked, I walked back into the little party and didn't look at Naru the whole night, even when he smacked Yasu for the petty comments.

**A/N: Oh, Lin xD. I hoped you enjoyed it! Merry Christmas to all! LILAC SIGNING OUT! :D**


	17. Discoveries

**A/N: Lilac:So...close...*faints***

**Naru: Hold it together, fool!**

**Mai: Don't be rude, Naru...**

**Naru: What? I...she...SHE MADE YOU MORE KICK-ASS THEN ME.**

**Lilac: Well, it's possible...**

**Naru: WHAT! -outrage mode-**

**Lilac: Yup! I like Mai better than you.**

**Mai: HA HA HA!**

**Lilac: So, Mai...will you do the honours?**

**Naru: Of course...let HER have the honours! -spits-**

**Lilac: Don't make me get out my tape, mister.**

**Mai: Lilac doesn't own Ghost Hunt, and she hopes you all had a special Holiday! **

**Lilac: That I do, Mai, that I do! So, on with the show!**

**Mai: Psh, you had them all on the edges of their seats!**

**Naru: 'Cause I was so awesome.**

**Mai: -smacks- SHUT UP.**

**Lilac: Children, children...-watches in slight horror as the war begins-**

**Mai's POV:**

I'd thrown the door open, and now was standing on the land just inside of the entryway. Naru and Emiko, who'd caught up, were directly behind me as I stared into the vast beyond.

"What...is this place?" Emiko breathed, looking around. I didn't respond right away; I was lost in all the memories.

"I think...is this...the spirit world?" Naru asked, and for the first time in the years I've known him, he sounded uncertain. But, as always, he was still correct.

"It is...if there is an obvious yet not obvious place to hide bodies, this would be it." I answered, my voice quiet. Closing my eyes and willing forth a little bit of PK (despite Naru and Emi's protests), I jumped into the cavernous, green area...well known as the spirit world.

"Mai? What do we do?" Emiko yelled out after me.

"Wait there!" I called over my shoulder, before blocking out their voices. Ignoring the smarter part of my brain that was saying this was a stupid idea, I floated further and further into the realm. Suddenly, I felt a strong pull, gently tugging me to the right. Frowning in confusion, I turned my body and willed myself to float in the direction of the pull. The green hues started gradually turning darker and darker, as if I was floating into the darker crevices of the spirit world.

"Mai...?" A male voice called out. It sounded confused, alarmed even. But it was familiar.

"Gene!" I called back, relieved.

"Mai! Keep coming this way!" He called back, alert and happy.

"Am I right? Is this where the bodies are?" I asked, my voice leaking with anxiety.

"Yes, yes! We're all in this direction, just keep floating!" He called back.

"I'm coming!" I yelled, and pushed myself harder. Summoning even more PK, I jetted forward at a lightning pace, despite what the others would say if they saw me now.

"Mai, be careful...these parts are dangerous." That was my mother's voice. My eyebrows furrowed; what did she mean by that? Suddenly, all the rational thoughts I had on the matter were gone; the darkness faded into lightness and gravity kicked into play. Landing on the cliff-like edge of the barren, rocky surface, I walked forward slowly. Everything seemed so...broken and...dead. Was this what heaven was like? A safe, little haven far from the world?

"Mai? Is that you?" Gene's voice came again, closer than ever. I started jogging down the somewhat visible path, ignoring my churning insides.

"I'm coming, Gene!" I called into the light, even more determined than before. I could almost feel the energy vibrating from their bodies as I seemed to close in on where Gene's voice was coming from.

And that's when I saw them.

**Emiko's POV:**

I stood there, my stomach churning uncomfortably. Why did she just...jump like that? Why didn't she wait to form a better plan? Naru must've seen the dread written as clear as day across my face, because he turned and gripped my shoulders somewhat painfully.

"She'll be alright." He assured me, though I couldn't tell if it was for my sake or his. I could tell he was just as worried, if not more, but was better at hiding it.

"You love her, don't you?" I asked, my voice soft. He blinked, once, before letting go of my shoulders and turning away.

"That obvious?" He asked me dryly. I chuckled to myself, despite the growing terror of losing my new-found sister.

"If you ask me and your team-mates. The only person who's so oblivious and hasn't realized it yet would be our dearest Mai." I laughed.

"I like it that way." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, I hope you like it when she moves on." I muttered, crossing my arms.

"Excuse me?" He hissed, his hands turning into fists. Funny, that was the largest display of emotion I'd ever seen from him.

"You know it's true! She'll eventually think you're not interested and move on!" I defended myself. He hissed something under his breath, before taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down.

"What do YOU suggest then?" He basically spat at me, but I grinned. I was waiting for my opportunity to play cupid!

"Tell her how you feel when she comes back." I suggested, after racking through all the...slightly crazy yet impossible plans in my head.

"Don't you have anything better than that?" He asked, sounding desperate. I smirked, and shook my head

no. Suddenly, the room's double-doors were thrown open as the rest of the SPR team walked into the room, all of them wearing sheepish expressions with the exception of Lin.

"What did you idiots do?" Naru asked, his voice literally sounding frozen. Nobody said anything, but I saw the secret glances being exchanged. It was silent, nobody speaking up, and that's when Dante from the other ghost-hunting crew ran past the open doorway, stark naked, covered in what seemed to be cat hair, and screaming: "THEY SHAVED MY BALLS!"

Oh, Mai. You have the weirdest friends, don't you?

**A/N: WHEE. I liked Emi's POV :)**

**Emiko: I seem nice! :D**

**Naru: Hmph. **

**Mai: Why is Naru moody?**

**Emiko: Um...**

**Me: They fed him chocolate?**

**Mai:...okay then.**

**Me: Anyways, folks, please review! Last time I checked we were 4 reviews away form hitting the big 1-0-0! :D You guys make me so happy.**

**Naru: Hmph.**

**Me: Review if you want Naru to confess next chapter! :D**

**Naru: EXCUSE ME?**

**Me: Bye! -runs off-**


	18. Tying Up Strings Then Unraveling Them

**Me: HOLY DANCING MONKEYS, YOU GUYS DID IT!**

**Naru: Dancing monkeys? -snickers-**

**Me: Just for that, a really long chapter! ENJOY FOLKS!**

**Mai: Lilac doesn't own Ghost Hunt!**

**Emiko: I hope you love the ending :D!**

**Mai's POV:**

"Gene! Mom! Dad!" I called, running over to where their bodies lay. There was no response this time, however. Kneeling, I inspected them for physical injuries. Nothing. It really was their bodies rejuvenating. Blinking back tears of relief, I placed my hands on Gene's chest as he was the closest. This had to work, because if it didn't, I don't know what I'd do.

Closing my eyes in concentration, I focused a large amount of my PK energy into my palms. When PK-ists are rejuvenating, it basically means their PK energy is returning to them. If you were to give PK energy to someone who is trying to rejuvenate, like Gene or my parents, you quicken the process. That's what I was doing at the moment.

"C'mon Gene, you gotta wake up..." I muttered in desperation after a few minutes of transferring PK. Still no response. I felt as if my world was slowly crumbling down in pieces, when his body twitched. I gasped softly in surprise, before pumping some more PK into him.

"Alex?" He groaned, shifting. He opened his eyes and stared at me in wonder, looking proud. I nodded, a lone tear falling down and onto his shirt. He sat up, rubbing his head.

"Go help your parents, I'm fine now." He whispered, his voice somewhat hoarse. I nodding, not trusting my voice, before crawling over to where my parents lay. Repeating the same process over for both of them, about fifteen minutes later we sat in a small, loose circle, quiet.

"You did it, M-Ale...which name would you prefer?" My dad asked, glancing at me sheepishly. I laughed softly, before considering both names.

"Well, I want to go by Mai, but if you guys want to call me Alexis I'm fine with that." I told them honestly. It was the truth; the name Mai had grown on me. But 'Alexis' was, and always will, be a part of me and I didn't want to change that.

"Alright. Anyways, let's go back." My mom smiled warmly.

"Wait, I'm not done. I don't want to stay in England when we go back. Will you all come back with me to Japan?" I asked, hopefully. And then I realized how selfish that was of me; everyone and everything they'd ever known was here. Why would they want to come back with me?

"No duh we're coming back with you!" Gene exclaimed, throwing his arms up into the air for good measure. My smile got wider, if that was even possible, before I pulled them into a group hug. For a few, peaceful moments, we sat there in absolute warmth and happiness, before we all pulled away. Gene got off the ground and offered me his hand, which I gladly took.

"C'mon, we know the way back to the entrance." His eyes glinted tease-fully, and I shoved him lightly. He was still the same old Gene, that's for sure.

By now, we'd reached the edge of the rocky surface and Gene was pulling me off the edge. Once again, gravity was defied as we soared through the darkness and back into the greenish hues of the more commonly known areas of the spirit world.

"The others are really worried." Gene mused, his eyes showing he was rather amused. Snapping out of my reverie, I glanced at him.

"How would you know this?" I asked, confused.

"Because I can see them..." He answered, nodding at something in front of us. I blinked, and turned to face the front. There, only a few feet away, was the door hidden in the back of the closet. Inside it, just on the ledge, stood a waiting Emiko. Behind her, clearly, was Yasu. Their eyes widened as they took in the small group that was approaching, and I urged Gene to fly a little faster.

"MAI!" Yasu shouted, happy and relieved. I smiled and waved back, and he grabbed my shoulders as soon as we landed. Pulling me into a bear hug, I felt some of the others joining in.

"Hi guys!" I chirped, hugging them all back. It felt good to be in the arms of my family...my non-blood related family, that is. Suddenly, I was pushed, pulled and shoved back into the room by dozens of hands. Crying out in protest, I turned and glared at them all, and that's when I was pulled into someone else's strong arms and held against their rock-hard chest. My body and senses shut down, and I felt myself freeze up.

"You idiot, why didn't you wait?" His soft, harmonic voice asked, as he breathed against my neck. I felt my own breathing hitch as he turned me around to face him. Lost in my own world, I didn't realize the others had left until I heard the click of the doors shutting.

His ice-cold blue eyes now looked melted, duo shades of blue clashing into each other in his irises. If anything, they looked even more beautiful than usual.

"Because I knew you wouldn't let me go and you'd hurt yourself trying to save them. I nearly drained myself a second time, Naru. How would you hold up?" I whispered, sliding my arms around his waist. Putting my head on his chest, I listened to calm, even beats of his heart.

"But what if I lost you, Mai? What did you expect me to do?" He asked, his voice cracking. Later, I knew I'd tease him about it, but right now it brought a sudden wave of sadness and confusion to me...causing my tears to start falling.

"I don't know Naru! Why do you suddenly care so much?" I cried, a small sob escaping my lips. And that's when he kissed me.

It wasn't passionate. It wasn't lustful. Instead, it was a soft, loving kiss; him telling me how much he really did care. I responded almost immediately, my tears falling onto his cheeks as well. After a few moments of heavenly bliss, he pulled away and leaned against my forehead, breathing heavily.

"I've always cared Mai, just been too stubborn to admit it. Then this case came up, and I almost lost you...you nearly got killed and then you jumped into the spirit world. Not to mention all the minor mishaps. My biggest fear, Mai, is losing you. Don't you dare put me through that ever again, alright?" He whispered tenderly, brushing the strands of stray hair out of my face. I opened my eyes and stared at him for a minute, before pressing my lips against his softly.

"I don't want to lose you either, Naru." I whispered, smiling softly at him. He smiled back (again, later I knew I'd tease him about his soft side) before kissing me again.

"We should go back..." I trailed off, knowing the others were probably waiting.

"Before that, I have something to ask. Mai, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked, gazing at me with tender, loving eyes. I smiled and nodded, before pulling out of his embrace. He grabbed my hand, and together we walked out of the master bedroom. Walking down the stairs in comfortable silence, we reached the others who had our luggage with them.

"Are the love-struck teenagers ready to go?" Bou-san teased, grinning. Being the child I am, I stuck my tongue out at him defiantly.

"Is that everyone's luggage?" Naru asked, cold again.

"Yup, dear brother of mine!" Gene chirped. Naru nodded and thanked him, before dragging me through the small crowd and out the front door.

"MAI AND NARU SITTIN' IN A TREE, K-" Emiko started singing, but I blocked her now annoying voice out. Mumbling under my breath about how stupid she and Gene were, I climbed into the van.

"Guys, there aren't enough seats for all of us." Bou-san pointed out.

"Mai'll come with us!" Yasu suggested, and grabbed my arm. Memories of the last car ride came back, and I screamed and thrashed. Naru gave me a smirk, before climbing into his seat.

"Mai, calm down! I'll come with you!" Emiko shouting, smacking my head. Instantly, I felt better; someone else was there to experience to pain with me. Smiling brightly at her, I grabbed her hand and bounced over to the second van. To hell we shall go!

"Why does everyone look scared for me...?" Emiko's last words rung through the air before I threw her into the backseat of the van. Oh, you have no clue what you volunteered for, m'dear sister.

"HOLY SHIT! SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Emiko was screaming her head off.

I smirked, and leaned further back into my seat. Yasu, as always, was yelling out his feelings for Bou-san. Ayako was smacking Bou-san with her purse. Bou-san was struggling to drive and not strangle Yasu or kill Ayako right then and there. John was trying to calm the trio down. Emiko was cowering on the car floor, her shoes held in her hands.

"Get up, sweet." I soothed, pulling her into my corner. She clung to me, scared out of her mind. Suddenly, my phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I answered.

"Hello?" I asked, covering my other ear with my free hand.

"Hi Mai! Just calling to check up on you!" Madoka's cheery voice came through the speaker.

"Oh, hi Madoka! We're fine, cop-"

"MADOKA GET ME OUT OF HERE THESE DOPES ARE CRAZY!" Emiko was screaming into my phone. Blinking, I realized she'd taken it out of my hand.

"Er, Emiko? Calm down..." Madoka's voice could be heard, even through the racket.

"EMI GIVE ME MY PHONE BACK!" I screamed, jumping onto her lap. She shoved me back with one hand and I fell off the seat.

"NO I NEED SOMEONE TO SAVE ME!" She yelled, before returning to speak with Madoka.

"FIND YOUR PHONE!" I screamed, jumping to my feet. Crazy, I know...but what can I say? I roll like that...and nobody can change me. The police, maybe...but yeah.

"NO!" Emiko screamed. Throwing my phone down onto the seat, she jumped at me and I felt myself hitting the back of Bou-san's seat. I snarled under my breath; NOBODY SHOVES ME!

"STOP IT!" I yelled, yanking on her hair. She shrieked in surprise, before pulling my hair. Okay, that was the last straw.

"NOBODY MESSES WITH MY HAIR!" I screamed, tackling her. Together, we fell onto the seats, rolling and smacking each other. By now, the trio had stopped arguing and was watching us with interest, placing bets.

"Mai's so gonna win." I heard Yasu gloat.

"My money's on Emiko." Ayako said snootily. Huffing, I scrambled back from Emiko. Winking, I watched her facial expression turn to confused.

"Shall we attack the Ayak-Monster?" I whispered, pointing at Ayako. Emi stifled a laugh, and nodded vigorously. Together, we slowly turned to face Ayako, who stared at us with what seemed to be fear.

"So, your money's on Emi, huh?" I asked, smiling innocently. And then we flew through the car and tackled Ayako down onto the floor. Our fingers started their work, roaming effortlessly as she screeched in pain.

"NO DON'T TICKLE ME! YOU BRATS!" She roared, tears flowing down her cheeks. I laughed manically, before retreating after a couple minutes. She'd had enough. Picking up my phone, I realized it was still on. Placing it to my hear, I got ready to apologize.

"NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER IN THERE WITH THEM!" Madoka was screaming.

"Madoka...?" I asked, uncertain of what she was talking about.

"OH MY GOSH MAI! YOU'RE ALIVE?" She said, unbelieving.

"Oh, so you want me dead, is that it?" I asked, playing with her.

"No, and besides. If you were dead, we'd have a pissed-off Naru on our hands!" She laughed, and I laughed along with her. I heard someone hissing in the background, and then the phone cut. Pulling it away from my ear, I felt my eyebrows crinkling in confusion. I don't think she cut on me...by choice, anyways.

"We're almost there!" Bou-san groaned in relief. I offered him a lop-sided smile. John- wait, where was John? Glancing around, I realized he had fainted and now was slumped over in his seat. Chuckling to myself, I settled back into my corner. I loved my family, even though I drove them crazy at times. They all knew this, by the way. Not one of them scowled this whole time...we all had our share of laughter and fun in the ride.

About half an hour later, we were at the airport. As soon as we parked, Emiko had thrown the van door open and kissed the ground.

"Ah, so there was no serial killer?" Martin asked with a knowing smile. I giggled and shook my head no, when I felt someone grab me by my waist. Looking up, I saw Naru smirking at me. Blushing, I looked away.

"That's a good thing, because I don't know what I would've done if you got yourself killed." He whispered into my ear, making me involuntarily shiver.

"EW! PDA!" Emiko shrieked playfully, pulling me away from Naru. I smirked at her before I sent a wink in Naru's direction. I heard a low growl of displeasure, but I shook my head.

"Let's just go before our plane leaves without us." Lin suggested, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.

A couple minutes of running and swearing later, we were in the first-class section of our plane. The seating arrangements somehow worked out so that I sat with Naru, and Yasu and Bou-san were behind me. Emiko and Gene sat in front of us, and my parents in front of them. To my right were Masako who was sitting with Ayako, and in front of them were John and Lin. Behind them were Naru's parents. And I have to say, we were a loud group (with the usual exceptions of course).

"Hey, Mai. Let's annoy the flight attendant!" Yasu suggested peeking in between the seats. I smirked, and gave him a thumbs-up; my way of agreeing with him.

"Okay, just play along!" He instructed, before he got up. Turning in my seat to face the front, I realized WHY he wanted to suddenly prank the flight attendant; it was the same one who'd spilt his coke on purpose. I blinked, smiling at the memory; Yasu he been extremely loud so she'd knock down the coke on purpose and told him he can't have more. For the rest of the ride, Yasu had pouted like a pissed-off 5-year old.

"Alright, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE IS A GO!" Bou-san whispered dramatically. I rolled my eyes at his behaviour; leave it to him to act like a teenager.

"Miss, may I have some coke?" Yasu asked innocently, giving her puppy-dog eyes. She nodded without actually turning around, and walked out of the cavernous area. I smirked to myself, watching as she walked back with a bottle of coke, and THEN she saw Yasu. Her eyes narrowing, she realized she couldn't be rude this time. Handing him the bottle of coke, she smiled a fake smile and turned away. That's when Yasu splashed her behind with coke, and snickered. She whirled on him, her eyes ablaze.

"Oops, sorry miss. My friend over there pushed my arm." Yasu apologized, pointing at Bou-san, who froze at the mention of him.

"I what?" He asked, glaring at Yasu, who shrugged in response and gave him a cheeky grin.

"YOU SIR, SHALL GO SIT IN THE COMMONER'S AREA. NOW!" The attendant screeched. I stifled my laughter, which took all my strength, and watched as Bou-san trudged through the aisle. Then, Yasu raised his hand in the air...as if he was signalling someone. My eyes widened with realization and I looked for who he was signalling. Bou-san passed by Gene, but that's when a large 'BOOM' echoed. Gene, who'd been sitting closest to the aisle, called out in a fake voice.

"Oh lord! Sorry chap, my flour spilt!" He exclaimed. As the white dust cleared, my jaw dropped as I saw a flour-covered Bou-san standing there, looking rather shell-shocked.

"There goes the bride, all dressed in white!" Yasu sang from his seat. He honestly looked like he was about to wet himself, and that's how he stayed for the rest of the flight ride.

"NARU! HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DO THAT?" Bou-san was yelling as we stepped back onto the familiar streets of Japan.

"I didn't know." Naru answered calmly from where he stood.

"How'd you get the flour?" I asked Gene, giggling. He turned from where he'd been talking to Lin and smiled at me, sheepishly.

"The manor's kitchen had some expired flour in it, so yeah..." He said, glancing over at Bou-san.

"WHAT? THIS STUFF IS EXPIRED?" Bou-san shrieked, his voice shooting up several octaves.

"Jeez man, you sound like a girl." Ayako said, smirking. Bou-san whirled around, and stalked off, obviously angry at the lot.

"You guys should apologize..." I trailed off, glaring sternly at Gene and Yasu in turn. They hung their heads, before walking over in the direction Bou-san had walked off in.

"So, can we all go home now?" Ayako whined, glancing at Naru.

"Everybody but my parents, Gene, Mai, Emiko, Frederic, Annalise and Mai's parents can go home. You guys have to come with me to the office and we have to discuss some stuff." Naru ordered, before entwining his fingers with mine. Still not used to the gesture, I blushed. After waving goodbye at the others, I climbed into the van with Naru and the rest of our families.

About an hour later, we were at the SPR building. Everyone shuffled into the waiting room and found a place to sit, whilst Naru stood. When we had all settled down, he spoke.

"So, is it agreed that we all reside in Japan?" He asked, glancing at everyone's faces. I was shocked; his parents were staying in Japan too?

"Yes Mai, my parents are a part of the team now." He chuckled, glancing at me teasingly. I huffed and looked away, somewhat annoyed. I wasn't a child.

"Yes, we're all stay and we're ALL a part of the team now." Luella declared.

"We have so many PK-ists now!" I squealed, happy now. My family was here to stay!

"That may or may not be a good thing, Mai." Naru cautioned. Immediately, I stopped bouncing in my seat and nodded solemnly.

"We'll see about that. Anyways, we have other matters to discuss-" Naru was interrupted as the door opened a tad and an elderly woman walked into the room. She glanced around, and I could see the tiredness and weariness written across her face, clear as day.

"Is this the SPR building?" She asked in a soft voice. Before Naru could say something rude, I stood and and smiled at her.

"Yes! Is there something you need, miss?" I asked, somewhat curious.

"Is there an Alexis Raine here?" She asked again, sounding nervous and frightened. I stepped closer, and pointed at myself. She glanced at me, before bursting into tears.

"M-Mother?" I heard my dad whisper, uncertain. The elderly woman stared at him through her tears, and nodded slowly. Dad and Frederic, tears falling from their eyes too, got up and hugged her close.

"WE HAVE A GRANDMA?" Emi and I screeched, staring disbelievingly at dad and the old lady. My mom, however, was the one who answered.

"Yes...girls, meet your grandma; mother of your dad, Frederic and Seika." She informed us, offering a sad smile.

"Boys, children, Hannah...I've missed you so much!" Grandma wept, her face buried in my dad's shirt. I glanced at everyone, who looked shocked or somewhat saddened. Time to lighten up the mood, if I do say so myself!

"HEY!" I yelled, attempting to get everyone's attention. I did, thankfully, including my grandma's.

"If I got a long-lost grammy, I want a hug too!" I cried out, smiling. Everyone paused, just for a second, before the room was filled with laughter. Walking forward, I shoved my dad and Frederic aside and wrapped my own arms around the frail, old woman. She turned the favour, whispering things. Pulling away, I offered her a smile.

"As much as I would enjoy spending my time hugging you all, I have some terrible news. Do you think you defeated Seika, Alexis?" My grammy said, glancing at me with questioning eyes. Frowning, I nodded; I'd seen him vanish with my own eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweethearts, but you didn't. You just...reunited him with his father." My grammy whispered. I felt my body freeze, and I started swaying. Naru, realizing this, hurried to wrap his arms around my waist and stand behind me.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, his voice cold. She glanced at Naru, and glared. I smacked him from where I stood in his arms for being rude to her.

"He..I...it will confuse you. I will tell you when the time comes, but for now I must inform that...he's back and stronger than ever. Now combined with hell's demons, he and his minions are rampaging in search for Alexis. Revenge, he says. He attacked my home..." She trailed off, her tears starting again. I felt myself fall back against Naru with a thump. He was...back?

"What? But Mai could barely take him out the first time!" Emiko cried out in disbelief.

"With your help." Martin added, sounding concerned.

"So now he's almost indestructible?" My mom all but screamed. My grammy nodded, looking tired. I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

"You okay, Mai?" Naru asked, his eyes and voice both unbelievably soft. I nodded meekly, looking away. I refused to break down, not in a room full of people.

"So, wait. How did he get the demons to follow him so easily?" Gene asked, taking a logical look at the situation. After a pregnant pause, my grandma answered.

"He's...part demon." My grandma whispered. Seeing how she could barely stand straight on her own two feet, my dad led her over to the sofa.

"I'm going to go make tea." I announced, pulling out of Naru's arm. Walking into the kitchen, I didn't realize it was much colder than usual until I turned on the light to find claw marks everywhere. Written across the wall in what seemed to be blood, were the words: Hello again, Alexis.

Needless to say, I screamed.

**A/N: See? Long chapter! Anyways, this was supposed to be three different chapters, but eh. So now, my dear SPR friends shall remind you of the important facts I told you in this chapter!**

**Mai: I saved my parents and Gene.**

**Naru: I got the guts to kiss Mai and tell her how I feel.**

**Emiko: We ALL came back to Japan.**

**Bou-san: Mai has a grandma!**

**Yasu: Seika's back...ew.**

**John: Apparently he's part demon.**

**Luella: He has demons under his control.**

**Martin: The next case is at Mai's grandma's house.**

**Gene: Lilac tried to include a hell of a lot of humor in this one!**

**Lilac: Of course:D Anything for my lovely fans.**

**Emiko: There may be a heck of a lot more chapters at this length, just 'cause.**

**Lilac: No, silly. Because I'm on break. Teehee!**

**Mai: Bye everyone!**

**Naru: Read and Review!**


	19. HeartBreak

**A/N: Alright, so this chapter is short, but for a good reason. Anyways, enjoy and I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve/Day! :D **

**Naru: Humph.**

**Mai: Sorry, he's in a bad mood.**

**Me: Eh...-sweat-drops-**

**Emiko: Lilac does not own Ghost Hunt!**

**Me: Let us begin(:**

**Mai's POV:**

I felt my hands come up to cover my mouth as I stared in horror at the bloody words. Frozen, I was barely aware of the others rushing in. Naru, who I presumed came in first, had his arms around my waist and was trying to calm me down. Our parents were inspecting the damage and the writing, talking amongst themselves, and Gene was holding a frightened Emiko. Frederic and Annalise seemed to still be in the waiting room.

"Mai...it's okay, he's not here...you're fine." He whispered soothingly. A strangled sob left my lips, instead of words. How could he still be here? How could be be part-demon? Not unless one o his parents was a demon! Suddenly, something clicked. Memories of my father's stories of his childhood came to mind, about how he never met his dad. Suddenly, my petty fright vanished and in its place was cold-blooded fear.

"Grammy, you had children with a demon, didn't you?" I asked in a quiet, dead voice. Shocked, everybody in the room either stared at me or my grandmother, awaiting a response to the slight accusation. I only had eyes, however, for my grandmother, who seemed to age a couple dozen years in front of my very eyes. It seemed...almost magical, the way she suddenly looked. She sighed, and began the story of her life.

"Yes, I did fall in love with a demon." She whispered, her eyes glistening with tears that wouldn't, and didn't, fall. As if she shed enough tears over a lost and forgotten past.

"However, when he realized I wouldn't let him raise my children as demons, or his heirs, he left me. Broke my heart first though, I'll tell you that much." She continued, a sad smile playing her lips.

"But it's impossible to have children with a demon!" Martin protested, confused. My grandma laughed, and I winced at the hollowness of it; void of any emotion, like when I talk to Frederic about my parents and how I felt about the loss. There used to be days where the heartbreak came back in rushes, and I fell into his arms and wept. Yet nobody knows about those days. Nobody except for Frederic. Maybe, just maybe, I'll tell someone. Share the days of pain; but for now, I'll keep to myself. Besides, there was nothing to cry about anymore; I had my family and Gene back. I had a sister. My life had been fixed in a matter of a couple of days. Suddenly, the sound of my grammy's voice brought me back and out of my thoughts.

"Yes, but it's not impossible for a witch." She answered bitterly. I gasped in utter shock; a witch? Naru's hold on my waist tightened, as if he sensed my sudden shock.

"What? Mother, Frederic, Seika nor I have ever showed signs! How is that possible?" My dad asked, flabbergasted.

"Easy. Witch genes skip every generation. Meaning my beautiful granddaughters have the genes of the royal witch lineage." Grammy informed us, a glint of pride in her sunken eyes. My jaw dropped, and I exchanged gazes with Emiko. Witches? WITCHES?

"No!" Luella gasped, staring at us with what seemed to be...awe?

"It's true, dear. It's why Mai and Emiko both have uncontrollable PK energy. Emiko does too, yes, but Mai can harness and tap into her PK energy, whilst Emiko's still has to be awakened. They both have more in them than a normal level 10's PK multiplied by 100." My grandmother stated gravely. Everybody's eyes bulged out of their sockets comically, but I wasn't laughing. I was far from laughing.

"Is that why I recovered so fast? Why Seika was overwhelmed despite his demon strength?" I asked, already knowing the answer to be 'yes'. She nodded slowly, inspecting me. I wasn't showing any emotions though; they were all churning inside me like a raging storm.

"Is that why he wanted Mai?" My mother asked in a small voice, her pain visible.

"Yes. Her power, along with his strength, would make him, literally, indestructible." My grammy informed her. My heart almost stopped; what?

"Wait, what? He wanted me?" I asked, confused. My dad shot my mom a look, and she turned to face me fully, sheepish.

"Er, yes Mai. It's why he came to the manor that night, his plan simple. Kill us, take you. If it weren't for Frederic..." Her voice faltered, leaving my mind to come up with all the horrific possibilities of what Seika would've done with all that power.

"Either way, he's back and wanting Mai more than ever, having tasted her power himself. And he awaits at my house to do so." My grammy's voice faltered, her voice hitching painfully in her throat.

"We're going to her house." I announced, my voice leaving out any room for arguments.

"Hell no!" Naru growled, his grip tightened even further. I frowned and pulled out if his hold, whirling around to face him.

"And why not?" I asked, irritated. He's denying to help my family out?

"You almost died multiple times the last case where he was weaker. He's going to kill you for sure this time!" He snarled, his eyes ablaze. I stared at him, shocked. And hurt. A hell of a lot hurt. His words didn't hurt a lot, though. The thing that hurt the most was that he didn't believe in me. He didn't think I could end Seika's reign of terror. Before I could respond, though, Gene stepped in.

"C'mon Noll, you're not giving Mai enough credit here!" He reasoned, pointing at me for good measure. I didn't even spare him a glance, though; I kept my eyes trained on my boyfriend.

"Right. I should credit her for putting you in a coma for a couple years? Being the reason her sister grew up without a family?" He retorted, before he realized what he said. This time, this tears fell. Not because Naru, my boyfriend, was saying and acting the way he was, no. I was hurt, heart-broken, because it was all true. I deprived Emiko of a life. I was the cause Gene was put into a coma. The reason my parents were put into a coma. The reason for so much bloody trouble.

"NOLL!" Gene roared, enraged. He strode forward as if he was about to hit Naru, but I stopped him with a sad smile.

"Don't, Gene, he's right." My voice trembled, but my eyes were ablaze.

"No Mai, he's not-"

"Gene." I interrupted, my voice soft. "Shh. I'm going for a walk, nobody follow." I gave everybody a pointed look, adding onto my request.

"No, Mai. I'm coming with you." Emiko stated firmly, before grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the kitchen. Frederic looked up from his seat and smiled, but it vanished just as quick as it came when he saw my tears.

"Oh, love. What happened?" He asked, his voice soft. I shook my head; my way of saying I didn't want to talk right now, and god bless, Fre-Fre understood. He nodded and settled back down, even though he looked troubled. I let Emiko lead me out the front door, even though I saw Naru come out of the kitchen, looking lost and upset. Oh well.

A few minutes of fresh air later, Emi and I were walking through the local park.

"He didn't mean it, Mai." She whispered softly, gripping my hand tightly for reassurance. I shook my head; I didn't want to talk about him right now.

"Do you...do you hate me for depriving you of a family?" I asked, my voice hesitant. Instantly, she stopped and whirled me around to face her. Quicker than I've ever seen her, she slapped me across the face. Stunned, I stared at her, waiting to hear the justice behind the slap.

"It's insulting that you think I hate you!" She huffed, sounding offended. Overall, right now, she looked like a pissed-off bunny rabbit, and that set off the giggles. The giggles that turned into full-blown laughter. Together, Emi having joined in on the laughter, we sat down on a park bench and simply basked in each other's presence. Suddenly, an idea came to be, and I stood up abruptly.

"What is it, Mai?" Emi asked, curious as to why I suddenly stood up. Beckoning for her to follow, I led her through a medium-sized cluster of fully-grown trees, and into a small clearing. It was my special place, because I've never seen someone else in this small spot. I came here whenever I needed some time alone.

"This place is so pretty! Mai, how'd you-" Suddenly, she stopped in mid-question. Confused, I turned to see why she stopped, and I found her staring just past my shoulder. Turning around, I stared in horror at the message painted onto the trunk of one of the more larger trees: 'You better come, sweet Alexis, or the city will feel my wrath.'

**A/N: So, I'm getting used to writing longer chapters, but I had to leave you guys hanging! I left Mai and Naru off in a fight because it shall lead to...things :D Anyways, I would just like to inform you know that there will be...no reason to rate this 'M'. Er...I'm only 13. I think that's enough reason.**

**Emiko: REVIEW! **

**Me: Please?**

**Mai: WHY AM I THE ONE ALWAYS ALMOST KILLED?**

**Me: Shh.**


	20. Unexpected Visitors

**A/N: Gah. I'm hungry. :( LOL, anyways...I've got some reviewers to answer to!**

**JayEyedWolf: I read that all. LOL :D I loovee Pokemon and I HATE how they changed the show. It got extremely annoying after I learnt that Ash was still 10. What is he, immortal? I bet you he's going to be 'GONNA CATCH EM ALL!'ing when I'm like 50. AND THEY CHANGED UP TEAM ROCKET. I thought the trio of idiots were like...incapable of being smart? And now they're all like 'Oyus, secrets and agents and stuffs!'. Pah! It's an outrage, I tell you, an outrage! ANYWAYS, I know Naru's being OOC :( It saddens me, but I had to throw some fluff in before I...become a relationship-wrecker? S'all I'm going to say XD. Thank you for taking the time to give me some suggestions, because I frankly didn't know where I was going with this second case. I'm literally writing on a whim, so uhm...yeah! But I don't think I'm going to be making this into a sequel, because I rather have all the cases put into one story so they're all easy to find. Also all the cases relate to the title 'Forgotten Past' because everything and everyone from her 'old' life are back in action! But anyways...Naru's, really, been in shock that she agreed, because let's just say he has a lot of doubts about himself XD. So in the next few chapters, he'll be his stoic self and Mai'll start...NO SPOILERS! -smacks self- Ehm, ANYWAYS, I hope you and your brother (if you show it to him) enjoy all the future chapters 'cause I love writing them for my awesome-sauce fans like you:) By the way, have you tried Pokemon Black/White? WHITE/TOUKO/HILDA/THE GIRL AND N MAKE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE! -insert fan-girl scream here- As you can see, I rant a lot too. Oh! Her dog is with her in Japan, at her house. I just didn't write about that part in the short chapter about her going home. I'll include her in the- IDEA! -scribbles down- muwhaha. I get my ideas from my rant-like speeches. And, no. I didn't have another acc. before this and this is indeed my first fanfic xD. Um. I think I'm done. THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY EVERYTHING THAT COMES AT YOU IN THE FUTURE! :D**

**Little-bad-Angel: HURRO! So I've been wanting to give you a shout-out for a while because you're one of my reviewers that have been such a huge support :D Thanks for that, by the way! Anyways, the answer to your question shall come in the upcoming chapters. Let's just say that you're onto something. ;) Thanks for all your support! **

**Ehm, alright...considering that was half a page, I think I'm moving onto the actual chapter now LOL! Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt!**

Mai's POV:

I stared in horror at the bloodied words, my mind reeling. How the hell did he know about my special place? Nobody did, except for Emiko.

"Mai? W-What do w-w-we do?" Emiko asked, her voice trembling uncontrollably. I turned to her and offered her a soothing smile.

"Calm down, I'll call Frederic and get him to come here." I told her, pulling out my cellphone. I just hoped his was on. Dialing his number, I held the phone to my ear and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello? Mai, love, is that you? Is everything alright?" He asked anxiously. I smiled at the fact he already knew something was wrong, even though I hadn't said anything.

"Um, Fre? Have they told you about the bloody writing yet?" I asked, curious. He had been in the waiting room, after all. He hadn't seen it...not that I know of.

"Yes, Mai." He answered.

"We found more of it." I told him, berating myself mentally for letting my voice wobble.

"Oh dear, Mai. Where are you? You're still with Emiko, right?" He asked again, this time worried.

"Yes, I am." I told him, and went on to direct him to the small clearing.'

"Hold on dear, your father wants to talk to you." He informed me. I waited as shuffling could be heard on the other end, before my father's voice came through.

"Mai, I need you to listen well, love. Seika's still in the area you're in. Please put up shields, the strongest you can manage. Tell Emiko to help you. We'll be there as soon as we can!" His panic-stricken voice pleaded.

"I-Wha-Uh...okay?" I answered dumbly.

He wished me good luck and hung up the phone. Turning to Emiko, I was about to tell her what I'd learnt when a menacing growl came from all around.

Naru's POV:

I had shut myself off into my office as soon as she left. I felt like such an idiot! How could I just say those things? When she finally agreed to be mine, I went and royally screwed it all up!

I was so lost in berating myself that I didn't notice Gene slip into the room. Looking up, I scowled at him with all the annoyance and irritation I could muster.

"What?" I snarled, my voice cold and detached. He raised an eyebrow at me and shook his head, wary of my actions. His way of raising the white flag.

"Calm down, Noll. I know you're pissed at yourself but she just called." His tone was just as cold, if not worse. My panic and self-hatred rose yet another notch, as I waited painfully for him to continue.

"She found more bloodied words, Noll. She gave us directions but it's clear Seika wanted to lure her into a private spot." He said, his eyes desperate and frightened. And that's what got me out of my depression.

Standing, I strode around my desk and grabbed his arm before walking into the waiting room. Everyone was already up and ready to go, so I just walked to the front of the group.

"What are you all waiting for? Let's move!" I asked, impatient. They all gave me a mega-watt smile, and we filed out of the room. Turning, I locked the door as I was indeed the last one out. As we walked down the stairs, I kept thinking about how badly I let my guard down. Then I made my final decision; I wasn't going to act like a love-sick puppy. I was going to act just as cold I usually do, and Mai will have to learn to deal with it.

"Noll, it's this way." Gene told me, and pointed in the direction of the local park. Nodding once, I walked across the street and onto the stone-cobbled pathway. Walking passed the happy couples and families, I couldn't help but wonder if that someday...that will be Mai and I. Shaking my head at the sheer stupidity of the thought, I looked ahead.

"Is this it?" Frederic asked, pointing to a cluster of trees. Derrick, Mai's father, stepped forward and aimed a hand at the trees. Almost immediately, a surge of PK flowed out and hit the trees with a ridiculous amount of strength and force. Under the red-glow of the PK, the shield Mai and Emiko had put up became visible.

"Damn it, Frederic, Hannah...come help me here!" Derrick grunted, pushing his hand outwards. Annalise, Emiko's old guardian, let out a chuckle. When I sent her a questioning look, she gave me a warm smile.

"It's amusing how much more powerful those two are compared to their parents and uncles." She explained, chortling. I nodded, smirking; it was amusing, because still they couldn't break the barrier. Only about 10 minutes later did they get through, and we walked into the clearing. What we found, though, shocked me to the core.

Mai's POV (While the others were coming to get them):

Hell-hounds. From every direction. Emiko and I ended up back-to-back, as we stared at them with revolt and horror. Dry, crusty blood was smeared around their lips, leaving it to the victim to figure out what had been its last meal.

"Mai, what the hell do we do?" Emiko asked me, panicking. I scanned all the foaming faces quickly; crap, we were seriously outnumbered.

"Fight with all we got and hope the others get here soon?" I offered, getting into a defensive stance. I felt Emiko's shift, as she followed my lead. Tapping into my PK energy, I held onto the surges and waited for someone to make the first move. That someone turned out to be Emi.

Acting by instinct rather than logic, she dashed forward with grace and speed. Launching her fist into the hound's chin, I watched in awe as it flew into a tree, hard. Then I realized that I had to fight too.

Waiting for the hounds to come to me rather than me going to them, I stood there as they approached somewhat cautiously. Great, I get stuck with the smart ones. Abruptly, one of the larger ones flung itself at me and I raised my hands up as fast as I possibly could. All in one fluid motion, I zapped the airborne hound down and carried on hitting the fast approaching hounds. They went down fast, one by one then dozens by dozens. I felt Emiko starting to tire, but I was doing fine. In-fact, I felt more alive than I did before.

But that's when everything went wrong. Completely, utterly wrong.

"MAI LOOK OUT!" I heard Emiko scream, but it was already too late. Turning just a tad, I watched, frozen, as a hell-hound came down and opened a wide gash on my arm. Screaming in agony, I fell to my knees as the blood started pooling around me. I was barely aware of several people screaming my name, even less aware of Emiko's enraged swearing as she stood protectively over me. Then, something inside me snapped.

"EVERYBODY BACK!" I roared, getting to my feet. Shocked, everybody obeyed. I turned to face the massive crowd of hell-hounds, my sense on high-alert. As if the power behind my command had faded, one of the hell-hounds ran at me at full-speed. Pulling back my good arm, I brought it forward and slammed it into the dog's head, sending it head-first into the ground. What shocked me, though, was that it hit the ground with so much force that there was a dent. I had no time to dwell, though. Turning my attention back to the others, I launched myself forward in a fury of PK sparks and random bolts of energy. Though, to be honest, I was scaring the crap our of myself; what was wrong with me?

"MAI!" Emiko screamed, bringing me out of my reverie. I realized that I was in the middle of the 'pack', for lack of a better word. Closing my eyes and concentrating on my pain and anger, I felt the PK energy leave me in massive waves; even more powerful than what I used to send Seika away. Opening my eyes moments later, I realized all the hounds were gone, only blood in their places. Turning to face the others, I offered them a small smile before blacking out from blood loss.

**A/N: And that's a wrap! :D If you wanna know what Mai looks like when using PK, picture pikachu using his electric-moves, and the electricity comes in diffo colours :D Review, see ya laters!**


	21. Reluctant Acceptance

**A/N: Time to answer s'more reviewers! :D**

**Himawari-no-Ichizoku: Ou, I love reading my readers' mini-rants, and I must say; yours made my whole day! (THAT RHYMED!) I woke up this morning and read it, and I had this creepy pedo-smile on for the rest of the day XD. So, thank you :) I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! **

**Little-bad-Angel: It's actually my dream job! I've always wanted to be an author :D. -insert happy me here- You really think my writing is improving? Yay! :D :D :D**

**Disclaimer: Lilac does NOT own Ghost Hunt.**

**Emiko's POV:**

We'd been fighting off those damned dogs for the last couple minutes, when I saw the others stride into the clearing with haste. Their worry was written as clear as day across their faces as they surveyed the scene before them; two teenage girls fighting off thousands of hell-hounds in a bloody clearing. It was probably a nice sight to see. Note the extreme sarcasm I'm using, folks. Turning slightly to fight off yet another hound, my eyes widened as I took in one of the hounds sneaking up on a busy Mai.

"MAI!" I screamed, but just as her name left my lips, I realized it was too late. The hound jumped Mai, ripping open the flesh on her right arm. Frozen, I watched as my sister screamed inhumanly and fell to the ground. Almost immediately, blood pooled around her fallen figure. As I ran over to protect her from the approaching hounds, I couldn't help but notice how much she looked like a fallen angel; the blood streaking across her arm and staining her clothes, along with the faint yet visible glow of her dying PK surges that never left her palms. Her long, glorious locks of hair fell around her petite figure, hiding her back from view. But you could still clearly tell her back was bending in an arch-like shape. All in all, she looked like a tortured figure. The thought sent shivers racing down my spine.

By now, I was smashing up some ugly hounds, my PK flowing properly. But then I realized, with horror, that I was starting to be overwhelmed by their forces. They just kept coming and coming-

"EVERYONE BACK!" She suddenly roared, getting to her feet. The blood flowed even faster, but I ignored it and started backing up; the sheer anger and frustration in her voice proved her to be royally pissed. I watched as she strode forward, her PK energy wild. Then I realized where she was heading and what was waiting for her. Just as I was about to shout out, one of the hounds that had been shifting around restlessly darted forward, but Mai put a quick stop to that. Bringing back her fist, she filled it with PK and slammed it into the hound's head. Startled, it howled in pain and hit the forest floor with a thumps. Shocked, my jaw dropped as my eyes took in the dent that had formed due to the impact. Then I looked at Mai, in awe, and felt myself tense up at her position.

"MAI!" I screamed out, worried for her. She glanced at me quickly, before returning her attention to her surroundings. Okay, so she knew she was in the middle of their little...gathering? And then it happened.

She closed her eyes for a few moments in what seemed to be concentration, and all at once PK shot out of her in massive waves that could wipe out the best of surfers. Why? These waves were maniacal, with sparks and sizzling electricity flying everywhere. I felt the air in the clearing sizzle and fry under the heat and intensity of my sister's energy waves.

It didn't scare me, though. Instead, I found myself entranced by the sheer beauty. What kind of beauty could you find in PK, you may ask? Simple. Mai's PK waves were the shimmering colours of the different levels; all of them. Together, they danced and shined in all their destructive elegance, evaporating the surrounding hell-hounds with ease.

A few agonizing moments later, the clearing was silent, all the hounds destroyed. I stared at Mai, then at the SPR gang, then back at Mai. She smiled softly, before falling to the forest floor with a dull thump. We all stood for a minute, waiting for her to get back up, and then realized she wasn't about to wake up and jump onto her feet again.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT!" I swore, racing over to where she lay, unmoving. Dropping to my knees despite the blood and grime that covered the originally clean grass, I scanned over her wounds.

There were small cuts littered all across her skin, but they weren't a big issue. The big, gaping wound in her arm was, though. I felt the air around me shift as Gene and my dad fell to their knees around Mai as well.

"Oh crap..." I heard Gene mutter under his breath.

"Aw, fuck it Mai! She just had to go and do that! Out of all the crazy stunts she could've pulled, she HAD to go and drain herself! DAMN IT!" I groaned, smacking my forehead in frustration. I heard Gene chuckle humorlessly, and watched as he hoisted Mai into his arms, not even caring about the blood that was covering him now as well. I got to my feet, swaying ever so slightly. Using PK does leave me drain, after all.

"Are we taking her to the hospital?" Anna asked. I threw a look her way, and right away I could tell she was worried and cared deeply for Mai. We all did. She was, and is, our little ball of sunshine. I smiled at the thought; it suited her so well.

"I guess, though I prefer to find someone else." Dad reluctantly agreed. I frowned to myself, catching onto his train of thought; someone might suspect something.

"What about Ayako?" Martin suggested, giving Naru a look. Naru. Whipping my head around to look at him, I wondered how he was dealing with this. He was staring at something, or someone, in the distance. His facial expression, though, was rather cold. Detached. Not paying attention. And that infuriated me to no extent.

As we walked out of the clearing, I fell into line beside him. He didn't even spare me a glance, just stared dead ahead.

"What the hell is wrong with you? YOU'RE supposed to be carrying your GIRLFRIEND!" I hissed in a quiet voice, my eyes ablaze.

"SHUT UP!" He hissed back, equally angry. Then he stomped off to be his prissy-self somewhere else. I huffed and crossed my arms, frustrated. How'd Mai get stuck with a lump like him? I mean she's beautiful, funny, kind-

"Naru infuriating you?" Someone asked, chuckling in a sexy voice. Wait, sexy? WHY AM I THINKING SEXY? STOP IT BRAIN. DON'T BE-

"Are you okay?" Gene asked, concerned. I blushed when I realized I'd been spacing out for over a few minutes, with him standing right there.

"Er, yeah...I'm fine." I mumbled, my face still flaming. C'mon, man! Where was the fire extinguisher when you needed it? Gene just chuckled again and walked a little faster, and I slowed down a bit to lose myself in my thoughts.

This whole matter was so confusing, but deep down I felt grateful. I finally had a family; quite a large one at that. But Seika kept on rebounding, determined to destroy us. Would he ever go away? And how many people would die before that?

"Emiko?" Anna's soft voice snapped me out of my reverie. Startled, I glanced up at her and gave her a questioning look.

"You looked a little blank. Are you alright, dear? I know how drained you are after using PK." She asked giving me one of her infamous smiles.

"I'm fine. Just worrying to myself. At this rate, I'm going to get white hair before you, Anna!" I mock exclaimed, chuckling. She giggled with me, before grabbing my hand and pulling me in the direction of the others. I felt myself smiling despite the mess my life had become. A good mess, but still a mess. Oh well...I had a family to help me through it. I had Anna.

A couple hours after we'd reached the hospital, the SPR folks sat in the waiting room. It was rather amusing, because we sat in little groups, clumped up in the various plastic chairs. I was sitting with Gene and Anna. The professors and my parents sat with Naru and Lin. Frederic was pacing, too worried to converse.

"Mai better be alright..." Gene muttered for what seemed like the billionth time. I rolled my eyes at him, giggling when he stuck his tongue out at me childishly. Anna smiled and patted our hands comfortingly. That's when the doctor came out from the ER room.

"Who is Mai's guardian?" He asked kindly, scanning all of our faces. Right away, Frederic literally ran over and pointed at himself. The doctor nodded, and offered Frederic a smile.

"She's fine. We gave her stitches, and she's waking up right now. Two at a time, please." He instructed.

Immediately, I jumped up from my seat and strode over to where Frederic stood, sighing in relief. Glancing back at everyone else, I nodded my head towards the door.

"Me and Frederic'll go in first." I said, leaving no room for arguments. Turning before someone could protest, I walked into the room with Frederic beside me.

**Mai's POV:**

Simple terms: I felt like crap. My head was pounding, my arm was throbbing, and on top of that my mouth was the new home of a squirrel. Or something fuzzy. Groaning, I tried shifting around without jostling the IV.

"Damn it, Mai. You look like crap." Emi stated bluntly. I scowled at her whilst Fre-Fre helped me sit up without causing myself too much pain.

"Geez, that's what a girl who wants hear." I muttered, glaring at her playfully. She giggled and smiled warmly in response.

"Are you sore? Do you want water, something to eat?" Frederic asked, acting like the concerned parent. I laughed and shook my head, no. Suddenly, the others walked into the room...being rather loud, I might add.

"YOU CAN'T JUST BRIBE THE NURSE!" Ayako was shouting, smacking Bou-san's head repeatedly. I internally groaned; don't get me wrong. I love the duo, but sometimes they're just a bit too much. I wish they'd just admit they were head over heels for each and go find a closet!

"Are you alright, Mai?" Gene asked, clearly worried. I offered him a small smile and nodded. It was true; I was getting my energy back pretty quickly. And then walked in Naru.

My heart started beating rather loudly, much to my dismay. I berated myself mentally for succumbing to his cold demeanor, but it wasn't like I had a choice. He was just...there. And now it was my so-called boyfriend. What a joke that was. My heart clenched painfully at the remembrance of his harsh words, back at the office.

"Right. Listen up. Seika's threatening the whole city of Japan, so we have no choice but to take this case. Be ready to leave at 9 AM sharp tomorrow morning." Naru informed us, his voice cold and uncaring.

"I thought you didn't want to take the case?" Emiko asked, frowning and flaring hatefully at Naru. Blinking, I mentally reminded myself never EVER to get onto her bad-side.

"I don't. But for the sake of Japan's safety, I have to. Just remember if this was left up to me, I wouldn't have taken the case." As he said the last bit, he locked eyes with me. Shocked silence filled the room, and a few moments later he strode out. With each step, my heart broke a little bit more.

**A/N: Stupid Naru! He just had to go and ruin everything, LOL. Anyways, don't hate me, I'll fix this! (I hope). With some...tinkering from Gene and Emiko? :D Review if you want some mischief coming your way soon!**


	22. A Familiar Face

**A/N: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long! D: I've hit a snag (curse you, Writer's Block! IF YOU EVER TAKE ON A PHYSICAL FORM, I SHALL BEAT YOU WITH A STICK!) and so uhm yeah. On a happier note, *insert fan-girl squeal here* MY IDOL REVIEWED MY STORY! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH. *runs into a wall and faints***

**This is short and most likely bad, 'cause I feel like I got ran over by a small truck, turned into a pretzel and someone is consistently beating me with a hammer Dx I'm sorry guys! I promise I'll try and update again tomorrow.**

**Disclaimer: I Don't own GHOST HUNT.**

**Mai's POV:**

It was the day we were setting off to grandmother's house. Packing up some last clothes, I assessed what I was wearing in the vanity mirror.

A gray V-neck hugged my petite form easily, tight in all the right spots. Matched with a pair of black skinny jeans and gray ankle-boots with slight heel, I smiled to myself. I'd certainly matured over the last two years. You could tell by the way I acted (most of the time), the way I dressed (most of the time) and the way I reacted to rudeness (sometimes).

"Lexi, are you ready?" Frederic called from the kitchen. Throwing on a silver chain with a simple, black pendant strung on, I rushed out of the room.

"Yup, coming!" I answered, bouncing down the stairs. Of course, if there was one part of me that hadn't changed, it would be my clum-

"AGH!" I cried out, tripping over the carpet. Bracing myself for the pain, I screwed my eyes shut. It never came. Reopening my eyes, I looked up to see Frederic's amused face staring down at me.

"You little klutz." He chuckled, helping me back onto my feet. I playfully smacked his arm, but I knew it was true.

"Let's go?" I asked cheerfully, making my way towards the door. He laughed, throwing his head back, before nodding in response.

About half an hour later, we were standing on the threshold of the SPR building. For once I wasn't late,, but that was probably only because of Frederic.

"Mai!" Emiko called out, running in our direction. I smiled and waved at her. Last night, my parents, Annalise and Emiko had all stayed at a hotel. Gene and his parents had stayed over at Naru and Lin's place.

Naru. My heart clenched at the thought of the arrogant male. How could he just break my heart like that? The very thought almost brought tears to my eyes. Almost.

"MAI-CHAN!" Someone yelled, just before I felt a large pair of arms wrap around my waist. I cried out in surprise as I was lifted off the ground and swung around. Thrown into the air, I found myself laughing and giggling whilst Bou-san caught me and repeated the process. We continued in this manner until someone cleared their throat. Bou-san caught me and set me down on the ground, giving me a sheepish grin.

"Are you two idiots done?" Naru asked coldly. I nodded, not trusting me voice, but inside I was fuming; how could someone go to loving and caring to cold and distant?

"So, who's going in which vehicle?" Yasu asked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. Almost immediately, Emiko screamed in horror and ran to stand behind Gene.

"HELL NO!" She screamed, in either revolt or fear. I gave her a cheeky grin before turning to face Yasu.

"I'll go in the car with you guys." I said solemnly. I had to hold back a giggle as everyone mock gasped (save for Naru and Lin, of course).

"NO MAI, YOU'LL DIE!" Emiko cried out, and I seriously couldn't tell if she was joking or not. I waggled my eyebrows in her direction, before walking passed Naru. Our shoulders brushed, and I couldn't help but enjoy the shocks that were sent down my spine. But I kept my poke face on; I refused to let me notice the effect he had on me!

"Don't die, Mai." He said, his voice quiet and somewhat...teasing?

I shook it off; Naru didn't know how to joke. Hell, sometimes I wondered if he was really a human or a robot. That's when my thoughts were interrupted by Yasu shoving me aside to jump onto Bou-san's back, screaming out...lyrics?

"Don't hold your breath." I muttered in response, giving Naru a look.

He smirked and gave me a small shove in the direction of the car. Shooting him a dirty look, I climbed into the car after uttering a short prayer.

Thankfully, it seemed like the others weren't in the mood to cause any trouble (all except for Yasu). Apparently, the others had all been out celebrating (save for John) and were dead tired.

"So, Mai...what's going on with you and Naru?" Ayako asked, her voice light. I shrugged, not really wanting to answer. I know they wanted some juicy stuff, but...there really wasn't much to say.

"Nothing? Humph. I would've thought you would've had sex already." Ayako stated, sounding surprised. Instantly, my cheeks flamed with embarrassment.

"Ayako!" I cried out in dismay, crossing my arms and looking away.

"C'mon, you old hag. They got together yesterday, I give them a week before they crack and jump each other!" Bou-san exclaimed, putting down his own prediction. I gaped and stared at him; WHAT THE HELL!

"Nah, I bet you he'll jump her when we get there because he clearly does not trust us with his girlfriend." Yasu grinned, giving me a look.

"What is this, 'Let's Embarrass Mai' Day?" I asked, groaning. They all nodded in sync and I found myself glaring at them with mock hate.

"Yup." Yasu answered, smiling widely.

"I hate you." I groaned, slumping in my seat.

"We know!" They all replied, before erupting into laughter. Sometimes I really wish I could drive to the locations on my own. In peace.

A few, painful hours later, we were finally at my grandma's house. Smiling in relief, I jumped out of the car and skipped over to where Emi and Gene both stood, smiling and chatting.

"HELLO!" I screamed into their faces, giggling madly.

"Hi Mai!" Emiko laughed, giving me a one-arm hug. Gene smiled and ruffled my hair absentmindedly, looking off in the distance. Suddenly, our peaceful moment was interrupted by grammy yelling out in surprise.

"Dante!" She exclaimed, happy. Turning, I felt my heart drop into my stomach as I came face to face with the one and only...Dante Harris

**A/N: I give you guys permission to beat me with a stick. :( Even I'm disappointed in myself. Dang. Expect another update soon, though!**


	23. Uh Oh

**Alas, winter break is over! D: That means my updates will most likely come less often. I'll still update like every other day, though. Anyways, to make up for that icky chapter, here's a better one! :D Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt**

**Mai's POV:**

I felt my jaw drop, despite the fact Dante was looking right at me. After getting a closer look at us, I found him smirking.

"Well if it isn't the losers." He drawled, crossing his arms. Right away, I felt myself snarling in response to his insult; who was he to call US losers?

"Oh really? We're the losers? Says the guy who couldn't solve the Raine Manor case!" Emiko snapped. I smirked and slung my arm across her shoulders, daring him to say something else. Instead, he put on a charming smile and stepped forward.

"Oh fine. I won't argue with the two prettiest girls I ever laid my eyes on." He said seductively. Taken aback, I stared at Dante with slightly wide eyes and I knew Emi was having the same reaction. Suddenly, Naru stepped forward, a predatory glint in his normally emotionless eyes.

"Are you done? We have a case to solve." He asked, cold and stoic, but I could hear the underlying sense of anger in his voice. Clearly, he was mad about something and that anger was currently directed at Dante.

"Yeah, well, so do I." Dante replied back, turning to face the angered teen. Then what he'd said registered in my brain.

"Wait...you're taking on the case too?" I asked, surprised and somewhat skeptical.

"Of course. Anything to help out grammy." He responded with a dazzling smile sent in my direction. I smiled back weakly; why the hell was he flirting with me?

"Are you done?" Naru interrupted, growling. I shot him a look and now his anger was visible; extremely so. I shot him a look, silently telling him to shut up, but he didn't even glance my way. He kept his sapphire-blue orbs trained on Dante.

"Fine. I have to go set up my base anyways. I'll see you ladies later." He threw a wink in our direction, before walking off in the direction of the front door. So he was tackling this case too? Interesting.

"What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and set up our base." Naru snarled, still enraged.

"Don't talk to us like that!" Bou-san growled, glaring at Naru with all the hate he could muster. If only looks could kill- wait, if that were the case, I would've died years ago. Chuckling myself, I returned my attention to the scene in front of me.

"What's Dante doing here anyways?" Yasu asked, curious.

"He's my best friend's son." Grammy answered, sounding flustered. I shot a look in Emiko's direction, before returning my attention to the box I was carrying.

"No, Mai. I want you and Emiko to walk around and see if you can feel anything." Naru instructed, grabbing the back out of my hands and passing it to Bou-san. I stared at his retreating figure in shock; since when was he ever so rough with me?

"He's having a rough day, Mai." Gene soothed, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. I guess my surprise was evident, because everybody was staring at me with a sympathetic look, except for Lin. Frustrated, I shrugged off Gene's hand and stepped away from him.

"Yeah, sure." I grumbled, pulling out of his grasp. Striding over to where Emiko was waiting, I grabbed her hand and dragged her in the direction of a stone-cobbled pathway that most likely led in the direction of the backyard.

"Are you okay, Mai?" Emi asked, concerned. I gave her a curt nod, not really wanting to talk about it. Who did he think he was, to be playing with my heart like that?

"He's a prick. With an large-ass ego." She stated bluntly, causing me to giggle. She really did know how to cheer me up, didn't she?

"Um, Mai? Do you feel that?" She asked, suddenly nervous.

I stopped walking, wondering what she meant, and that's when I felt it. The immense waves of power and anger, hitting me full-on. My eyes widened in horror, shock and realization...but it was too late.

I screamed in surprise as I was sent flying into a tree. Wincing, I fell to the grassy floor with a thump. A roaring laugh filled the vast greenery, causing my ears to ring painfully.

"Did you think you could get rid of me that easily, my dear nieces?" A familiar voice cackled, sounding rueful and vicious.

"I sure did." I heard Emiko mutter under her breath from her spot about two feet from where I lay. I smirked, before standing back onto my feet with trouble. He could really hit hard...now. Damn; the stupid demon strength! Gritting my teeth, I awoke my PK.

"You were never my favourite nieces, you know." Seika said, almost as an afterthought.

"Yeah, well, we were your ONLY nieces!" Emi retorted, sounding annoyed.

"Ah, yes." He replied; by the tone of his voice I told tell he was smirking.

"Anyways, Mai...Emiko, I am done talking. It's time for lights out!" He continued in a sing-song voice. At first, I was confused, then I felt a sharp, stinging pain and with that...the world turned black.

**A/N: Short with a cliffy! YAY! Anyways, my friends and I are planning a bake sale for money for our grad:D I hope it gets approved; ANYWAYS, review please! I'm hoping to get another chapter up for tomorrow. (By the way, sorry for the length)**


	24. Doubts And A Hurdle

**A/N: Um, don't hate me after this chapter? :D IT'S FOR THE SAKE OF THE STORY, KAY?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

**Mai' POV:**

"What the fuck!" Someone was raging. Rather loudly, I might add. I had my eyes closed and could feel a dull, throbbing pain in my head; it was, however, bearable. Groaning in discomfort, I opened my eyes. White. All I saw was white. White here, white there. Then, I became aware of the IV drip and it all made sense; I was in a hospital. Why, was the question I now had to answer. As I stared at the ceiling, tuning out all the yelling and arguing seemingly coming from around me, it came back to me.

The backyard. Emiko. The trees. Seika. Naru.

Struggling with the invisible weight that seemed to have settled on my chest, I sat up and surveyed the scene in front of me. Bou-san was yelling at Ayako, who was yelling right back. Yasu sat in a chair, a grim look set on his features; alongside him was John, wearing an identical expression. Gene sat in a corner, slumped over with his head in a hand. Emiko- she'd been knocked out too, hadn't she? With some stretching, I found a similar bed to mine pushed up against a wall, with my sister's body preciously placed in the midst of the fluffy, snow-white sheets. The parents, the guardians, Naru and Lin were nowhere in sight.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAN'T BRIBE NURSES, SHE TOOK THE DAMN MONEY! GET OFF MY BACK WOM- OW! STOP HITTING ME WITH THAT DAMNED PURSE, YOU OLD HAG!" Bou-san screamed, swinging his arms around dramatically.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING OLD?" Ayako screamed in response, never letting up with her broken rhythm; courtesy of her purse that was supposedly stocked with bricks (according to Bou-san).

"Hi guys." I greeted, tiredly.

"Hi Mai." They all chorused, before realizing who was talking. Whirling around to stare at me, they did a double-take.

"MAI!" They screamed in unison. I smiled meekly, the outburst causing my ears to ring painfully. Their love was...loud, for lack of a better term.

"Are you alright, Mai?" Gene asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, but has Emi waken up yet?" I answered, my tone mirroring his.

"No. We're still waiting on her." He offered me a weak, tired smile, which I returned. But deep in the crevices of my mind, the never-ending 'what if' situations arose, hideous and setting me on an edge. My eyes darted back over to where Emiko lay, unmoving. Silently, I prayed that she'd wake up soon.

"She'll wake up soon enough, Mai, don't worry." Gene said truthfully, as if reading my thoughts. I nodded, though I wasn't really paying attention. The absence of my boyfriend had me baffled.

"Where's Naru?" I asked; the question was followed by a tormenting silence. Bou-san and Ayako shared an uncomfortable look, not wanting to meet my demanding eyes.

"Erm, Mai...now isn't such a great-"

"Where's Naru?" I asked again, my calm facade forced and unbelievable.

"He...he didn't come Mai." Gene whispered, his voice soft; but I could still her the hatred and bitterness. The hatred and bitterness that was all directed at his brother.

"Oh..." I trailed off, the full meaning of the words hitting me like a speeding train. Naru didn't come to check on me. He stayed back.

"Mai...?" Bou-san trailed off questioningly, giving me a pointed look. He was asking me, discreetly, if I was alright. Or was going to pretend to be alright. He knew me too well. Giving him a curt nod, I returned my attention back to a squirming Gene.

"What did he say when he refused to come?" I asked, my voice deadly calm. Nobody answered, but had disgusted looks on their faces, confirming my thoughts; what he'd said wasn't pretty, nice or something that wouldn't break my heart even more. He all but broke up with me in a span of a couple days.

"He said that it wasn't...his fault that...you're so clumsy and idiotic...and that he was too busy..." Yasu explained, uncertain of to how I was going to react.

"He did, did he now..." I muttered to myself, angered. Did he honestly think I'd let him push me around like that?

"Mai...?" A groggy voice cut in, meek and quiet. Whipping my head around so fast I thought I'd got whiplash, I stared at Emiko's moving figure. Slowly, she sat up, rubbing her head as if it was irritating her. Then she turned and faced the rest of us, with a confused look.

"Mai...don't-"

"Are you okay?" I asked, interrupting Gene. She nodded, slowly, assessing the faces of the team. Carefully, she swung her legs off the bed and sat on the edge, facing me. Then she spoke, her words freezing my heart.

"I-I'm fine...but...who are these people?" She asked softly, as if she really didn't know. I blinked, confused, and then it hit me; she'd hit her head.

"Emi...do you not recognize them?" I asked, my voice slow and soft. A gut-wrenching feeling settled in, and I already knew what her answer was.

"No." She whispered, giving me an upset look. And that's when Gene dropped the bomb on me.

"Mai, she's lost her memory. All she remembers is you." He explained, his voice tight with emotion. Well...this sure complicated things. Quite a bit.

**Emiko's POV:**

After I got knocked out, I was drowning in a sea of black; there was no other way to put it. It was as if someone painted my eyes black, the representing colour of death.

There's was nobody. Nothing. It was just me, floating around aimlessly. I felt lost, confused and hopeless; there was nowhere to turn, nobody to assist me.

And then I started hearing voices. Several, almost as if it was at once. Saying different things. 'You have a sister', 'NO! DON'T!', 'Take her, Annalise, and raise her well. Our time is near'. I cried out in anguish as all the emotions rushed through me, filling me to the point of physical pain. Sadness, anger, jealousy, pain and most of all...love. Love and affection. Towards...several different people? Then more voices came, louder and stronger than before. So loud I could barely decipher the words being said, but a few tidbits still stood out; 'Shh...sweetie, it's okay. I'm here for you.' and then, just like that, all the voices were gone. All of them. No traces were left, and I regained my composure. It was as if my mind had gone blank; completely and surely. Suddenly, the voices came back. Or...should I say voice? It was one girl's...one voice. Her words clear and defined, and I could definitely understand what she was saying. The only thought that I processed, however, was a name: Mai. I frowned to myself; why couldn't I remember anyone else? All I could remember was Mai. Sister. And then...I woke up.

"Mai...?" I called out right away. Hey, blame it on my reflexes! I sorta just felt...that I should call out for her...and then there was a reply. Eh. Somewhat?

"Mai...don't-" A male voice?

"Are you okay?" A feminine voice asked, sounding relieved? Then the sound of the voice, the natural bubbly personality that basically leaked into her voice, shone through; it was Mai.

"I-I'm fine...but...who are these people?" I asked, suddenly very aware of all the staring faces. All the faces I felt that I should know, but when I tried to place their faces, I was coming up blank.

"Emi, do you not recognize them?" Mai asked, her voice soft and patronizing.

"No." I whispered, feeling guilty for some reason. Then the boy from earlier cut in.

"Mai, she's lost her memory. All she remembers is you." He explained, his voice tight with emotion. I found myself whimpering; I had a bad feeling about all of this.

**A/N: So Mai's having second thoughts about her new-found relationship and Emi's lost her memory! Review for some feedback on if my writing's improved or not? :D**


	25. Darkness

**A/N: Muwhaha. All of you want Naru to stop being mean, LOL. Um, so...the surprises keep coming? Aha, I think it's keeping y'all hooked. ANYWAYS, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt. If I did, it'd go like this anyways.**

**Mai's POV:**

Even though I saw it coming, it still almost brought an onslaught of tears. My sister lost all her memories, good and bad; all she remembered was me. What good would that do for her?

"Guys, Naru wants us to come back." Bou-san announced, stepping back into the room and letting the door slam shut behind him. Emiko cringed at the loud sound, echoing through the room. I blinked; I hadn't realized Bou-san had even stepped out of the room, much less heard a phone ringing.

"Alright. Mai, help Emi?" Gene requested, standing up and striding over to the door. The others followed suite whilst I nodded, clambering out of the bed (if you could call that metal deathtrap a BED).

"Emi? We're going back...stay with me, 'kay?" I told her, a soft smile adorning my features. She nodded slowly, processing my words. Offering her a hand, I pulled her onto her feet before turning to face the others.

"No shit in the car, got it?" I told them sternly, mostly directing my words towards Yasu. He nodded vigorously, not wanting to upset me even further; learning that my sister had lost her memories was already becoming too much for me to handle.

Together, we all walked out of the room, only stopping for when Gene had to sign us out. Then, solemnly, we trudged to the parked van. Piling in, we sat in silence whilst Bou-san started the car.

"Um, Mai?" Emiko's hesitant voice cut through the tension, somewhat guilty. Instantly, I turned to face her, a fake smile plastered on my face as if nothing was wrong. I'm pretty sure she saw through my facade, though.

"Where are we going?" She asked sheepishly, and I mentally slapped myself. She didn't remember the case, Seika or our parents.

"Um, do you remember your PK?" I asked, uncertain as to how I should explain this to her. She nodded quickly, as if she was relieved to say 'yes' to me, for once. Glad to say she remembered something that I thought was important. Seemingly important.

"Well, it all revolves around that. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're fine." I reassured her, smiling when the others voiced their own commitment to keeping Emi...'protected'.

"Thanks, guys. I know I may not be able to remember you, but this means a lot." Emi smiled softly, gazing at us all with happiness as clear as day in her eyes. The gang all smiled in turn, glad to know they had her trust.

A while later, we arrived back at the mansion. It was comical, watching Emi's eyes widen in awe as the giant house loomed over us.

"Are you ready to face the parents?" I asked, purposefully using a scary tone. She giggled, catching onto the joke, and nodded, a spark of life in her eyes. The spark of life that had been MIA since she woke up. Grinning in satisfaction, I grabbed my hand and bounced through the front door.

"Mai, wait for us!" Yasu yelled, bounding up the stairs with renewed speed. I sighed dramatically, before stopping and waiting for the others to catch up. Slow pokes. Eventually, they made it to where we were standing, waiting, and together we walked down the long, winding hallway to where the apparent base was. As we came closer, I felt myself starting to panic; what were they going to say when we walked through that door? As if sensing my internal struggles, Gene fell back beside me and grabbed my free hand reassuringly. He could read me like a book. Smiling up at him, I let him open the door from which faint voices could be heard. Snippets of their conversation hit my ears, none of it making sense. I felt like grumbling; I hated being out of the loop.

"...Now what?" I heard Lin ask, sounding lost. My eyebrows furrowed; Lin was NEVER lost. Finally, after a moment's pause that seemed to last forever, Gene threw the door open. Instantly, their conversations stopped and they all turned to stare; several pairs of eyes at once.

"Mai! Emiko! Are you alright?" Annalise asked anxiously. Before the others could ask their own questions, I signalled for all of them to shut up.

"Emi's lost her memory." I told them quietly, and right away they got it. They slumped back into their seats, disheartened. Everyone was quiet, even Naru had the sense to shut up and not ramble on about the case.

"Well, then, any progress?" Gene asked, almost mockingly. Instantly, the tension in the room seemed to increase tenfold. Everybody started shifting around restlessly, not speaking. Instead, Gene kept talking.

"Right, of course not. I wonder why? Maybe it's because you didn't have some of the more smarter people here? Like Mai, for example? I wonder why. Oh, right! That's because she was out cold, after being thrown into a tree headfirst. Who cares if she had severe injuries! And let's not forget how her sister was thrown into a tree too! The very same sister lost her memory. I wonder if anybody cares? Thank goodness nothing worse. Like internal bleeding. Of course, I don't play the boyfriend role for either of them. Emi's single, but Mai is unfortunately stuck in a relationship with a stick. A twit. An idiot. A heartless buffoon, even! Hey, where was this boyfriend? Right, too concerned with a case he didn't want to take. Hm, I wonder if he's going to have his SORRY ASS DUMPED UNLESS HE CLEANS UP HIS ACT!" By the end of his mini-rant, Gene was out of breath, his eyes alive with anger. Nobody spoke, but I put a consoling hand on his upper arm, almost as if to say 'thank you'.

"Um, right...I'm going to make some tea." I said hesitantly, ending the long period of silence that followed Gene's words.

"I'll come with you, I know where the kitchen is." Naru informed me, rather coolly. I nodded, before shuffling out the door. All I could think about is how he felt after Gene's little...speech. With him in the lead, we mounted the stairs and walked down a dimly lit hallway.

"Mai, we need to talk." He stated, rather calmly for someone who just had a Gene-sized rant. Let me tell you, those are extremely scary. Sometimes I wonder how I make it out alive, especially because the ones he gives ME are so much longer. Mentally shuddering at the memories, I followed Naru into what seemed to be the kitchen.

"Um, sure?" I said, not knowing what else TO say. What do you say to someone who just had their ass handed to them? I needed to find myself a book on that; mentally, I reminded myself to do that when the case ended.

"Is that how you feel? About me not coming?" He asked, his voice unnaturally soft. Pausing to somewhat think it over, I nodded once, embarrassed. What if that made me sound clingy? What would he say? Normally, I wouldn't panic, but this is Naru we're talk-

Right then and there, he grabbed my chin and pulled me into a demanding kiss. At first, I was unresponsive, but I couldn't help but succumb to his masterful ways. Moving our mouths in sync, I couldn't be bothered to even attempt to stop him. All too soon, he pulled away.

"I'm sorry Mai, I thought that the sooner I solved this case, the sooner we'd get to go home and keep YOU away from all this danger." He explained, his voice quiet. I nodded, before standing on my toes to softly peck his lips in reassurance.

"It's fine, Naru." I told him, smiling. He nodded once, the corner of his mouth tugging up, before he grabbed my hand and led me back out the door. Numbly, I let me tug me down the corridors, through the maze of my grandmother's house. Only when we were outside of the base did he let go of my hand and throw the door open.

"Alright. Mai, Bou-san, Emiko and Gene, go collect room temperatures. Ayako and Masako, go walk around and try and get a feel of the house. John and Yasu, go to the closest library and research up on the history of Shadow Demons." Naru instructed, not missing a beat. Almost instantly, everybody reacted to his words. Bou-san stood up with renewed enthusiasm and bounded over to where I stood, waiting, then dragged me out of the room. Emiko came forward too, Gene trailing behind her. I smiled at all of them, before cheering and bouncing into the hallway. Then I remembered which job we got; the temperatures. Groaning, I turned back to pout, but faced darkness. Pitch-black darkness, the door nowhere in sight. I was all alone...

"Hello?" I called out, frantic. No response; and then the noises started. Thunderous footsteps echoed throughout the darkness, and all of a sudden dozens upon dozens of pairs of eyes appeared, swaying ominously around me. They all had something in common, though; they were a crimson red, blazing with hunger, hatred and bitterness. They were what could only be described as death's pets; Shadow Demons, or more commonly known as Hell Hounds. Frightened, I felt myself whirling around on the spot, having nowhere to run to.

"We're coming." A nasal voice cackled, rising in volume. All I could do at this point was close my eyes and pray that it would all go away. Keeping my eyes shut despite the howls and growls that came from all around, I waited for a while.

"Mai? Ya comin' or what?" Suddenly, I could hear Bou-san again. Opening one eye, I realized I was back in the hallway with the others, who were now all gazing at me with concerned eyes. I nodded, a little too quickly for my like, before briskly walking to the front of the group.

"Bipolar." I heard someone mutter behind me, and I couldn't help but giggly absentmindedly, still wondering about who's voice I'd heard and why they were after me...

**A/N: Writer's Block is a butt. :( Um, I hope Naru wasn't too OOC? D: I tried...I mean c'mon. The man's in a relationship! Review please? c: Until next time!**


	26. Rain Rain Go Away

**A/N: AH. Don't kill me, I was buried in my homework! I swear it's not my fault! I still am, but this is a quick update as an apology gift to you all! D: I FEEL SO BAD GAH.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

"Bou-san!" I yelled, angered. He was holding back laughter, and that was clear as day. He was shaking, quivering and averting my eyes.

"I-I'm sorry!" He managed to say, before bursting out laughing. I sighed and glared at him with my eyes narrowed, my hair and clothes dripping wet. Thank god I wasn't wearing white!

"You should've just told her, Bou-san." Gene chuckled, also wet. Apparently, it was raining outside, but Bou-san decided to keep that information to himself.

"Sleep with one eye open." I warned, pointing a threatening finger at him. Grinning playfully, he nodded, before gathering up the equipment and motioning for us to follow him back into the safe haven of indoors.

"FINALLY." I all but screamed, before shoving him out of the way and racing up the steep incline. The grassy mounds were slick with rain, which was coming down fast and hard. It was becoming increasingly painful to feel each droplet splatter against my skin, and I blamed Bou-san for it.

"Hurry, Mai. Inside." Gene instruct, his brotherly worry creeping into his voice. I nodded, shivering involuntarily. Grabbing the railing, I bounced up the stairs and through the door, where the others were seemingly waiting for us. Ayako stepped forward, the motherly concern shining in her eyes, and handed me a towel. I nodded my thanks and smiled at her, before drying myself off.

"Which one of you idiots is going to tell me why you were outside?" Naru asked, yelling at the other two. "It's bad enough you two took the equipment outside, but you dragged out Mai with you!"

"I'm sorry!" Bou-san whined, crossing his arms across his chest. I glared at him and so did most of the others.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, you owe my ice-cream!" I declared, grinning for ear-to-ear. Bou-san nodded, seeming relieved to be off the hook. Everybody else went back to whatever they'd been doing beforehand.

"Mai, Emiko. Come here for a second." Naru instructed. I walked over, grabbing my sister's hand when our paths entwined. Offering her a soothing smile, I returned my attention to Naru.

"Can you two walk through the house and see if you find anything? Scream if anything happens." He asked, pointing towards the non-lit hallways. With or without lights, the looming banisters and curving stairs were uninviting.

"Fine..." I answered, trying to sound neutral. Inside, though, I was panicking. Thoroughly. I didn't want to investigate the house. I didn't want to possibly run into Seika again. I didn't want to have to put up with Dante, if we crossed paths. But most of all, I didn't want to let down my sister. Again.

That's when Ayako's scream pierced the air. Startled, I stood still for a couple seconds, before realization set in and sent me running. Blindly running the direction that the scream seemed to come from, I found myself in front of the bathroom. Ayako was, true to her scream, in the bathroom...on the floor bawling her eyes out.

"Ayako, what the hell?" I asked, alarmed. She turned to me, her eyes bloodstained already.

"I-I'm pregnant." She whispered brokenly.

**A/N: Muwhahaha. You all probably are freaking out, but I'll leave you and your thoughts alone and wait for a review or two about how short and horrible this was, among other reasons for you all to hate me. :) *runs off***

**I'll try and get a longer update in sooner D: But if you guys want more of my work, I have some of my original stuff posted on my dA: BrokenCrescendo. Feel free to check it out!**


	27. Confusion Isn't Pleasant

**A/N: You guys are way too nice LOL. I love you all, this might be bad but I hope you enjoy, because I fear that I won't be able to put up another chapter soon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

"Eh?" Was the first thing I said. She was...pregnant? What the hell!

"What do I do?" She wailed, thrashing about. Not knowing how to properly comfort her, I hesitantly stepped into the small bathroom and closed the door behind me. Plopping myself onto the floor, I grabbed her free hand and stroked it.

"C'mon, Ayako, calm down. Do you know who's the father?" I asked, my voice soothing. Upon hearing my question, she literally screamed and threw her head back again.

"I-IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" She cried, staring at the ceiling with unshed tears on the brink of falling. My eyebrows furrowed; was she implying what I think she was?

"You...you were drunk?" I asked, disbelief colouring my words. When did the miko find the time to get drunk and knocked up?

"The day we came back, some of us went out and were stupid enough to get drunk. One thing led to another..." Ayako whispered, trailing off and leaving me to fill in the blanks.

"Ayako, do you know who it was?" I asked again, this time concern lacing my words. Whoever it was that did this was getting their ass handed to them. Plain and simple.

"I...he...um...Bou-san." She told me, sounding embarrassed. Shocked, my hand fell limp and I stared at her in disbelief. Then, I stood and walked out the door, into the base, with Ayako calling my name in a frantic manner.

"BOU-SAN." I yelled, scanning the room for the sign of the brat.

"Whhaattt?" He was strewn across the recliner that was pushed up against the wall. Stomping over to where he lay, I slapped him. Hard.

Satisfied with the loud 'crack' that echoed through the room, I watched as he flopped off the cushions, landing on the floor with a strangled cry.

"WHAT THE DEAD YASU IN A SPRING ROLL MAI!" His eyes bugged out, and I would've laughed if it wasn't so serious.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, YOU PEDO!" I yelled, my fists clenched.

"Woah, Mai, calm down. Think of rainbows, chickens, shirtless Naru..." Yasu cut in, trying to calm me down.

"BACK OFF!" I yelled at him; the poor guy literally tripped over his own feet, trying to get away from me.

"Mai, what the chicken fingers did I do?" Bou-san asked again, this time mad, not shocked.

"YOU BLOODY KNOCKED UP OUR MIKO, THAT'S WHY!" I screamed, kicking him. Upon the accusation, everybody that'd been trying to calm me down went quiet as they awaited Bou-san's reply. Even Naru and Lin had the decency to stay quiet.

"I...eh...what?" Bou-san's body went stiff, and he just stared up at me. That's when we heard familiar sniffling.

Standing in the doorway was Ayako, holding a tissue to her eyes. Her hair, usually so neat and tidy, was fanned around her shoulders, tangled and knotty.

"Is Mai lying, Ayako?" Bou-san asked again, his voice barely above a whisper. Sobbing dryly, she shook her head 'no'.

"Well, isn't this nice." Masako cut in, sounding bored.

"Shut up, Masako." I shot at her, glaring. This messed up couple had to straighten things out, one way or another. Still fueled with anger and disappointment, I stalked over to where Lin and Naru sat, examining some papers. Papers with a lot of writing on them. Tapping Naru's shoulder, I waited until he turned to face me fully.

"Want some tea?" I asked, my voice glum. He nodded, surveying me with questioning eyes.

"I'll come with you." He finally decided. "Lin, keep looking at these and consider what I said."

Lin simply nodded, not once looking up from the sheets.

Together, we walked down the dark hallway, enveloped in silence. Were things always this awkward between boyfriend and girlfriend? Or was it because it was Naru we were talking about? I mean, c'mon, the boy wasn't a robot! Was he...? Oh god. WHAT IF HE-

"Mai." His voice cut through my thoughts, shaking me out of my reverie.

"Hm?" I voiced my attention, not really knowing what to say. I had to admit, I was a little nervous, being alone with Naru. After things had gone so...awry between us, I didn't know what to say. Even though we fixed it.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked, after what seemed to be an internal struggle. I sighed, not knowing how to answer. Was I alright, honest to the word? Or was I as upset as Ayako, over something that didn't even, directly, concern me?

"I...don't know." I finally decided to say. "I mean, my mind and the logical part of me is seriously mad about the whole 'knocked up because they were drunk' thing, but the...romantic part of me is literally swooning because they finally have a reason to bond over their crushes." I continued, glad to be able to voice my opinion.

"It was stupid." Naru stated bluntly, his voice void of any emotion that I could place.

"Which part?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"The whole, as you put it, 'knocked up' scenario. They had no reason to, in all honesty, get drunk. They'd never celebrated over a successful case before, why start now?" He explained, sounding somewhat irritated. When his words registered, I paused, startled.

"THAT'S why they went out?" I all but screamed, staring at Naru with wide eyes. He raised an eyebrow at me, before nodding. Making a noise between a snarl and a groan, I trudged down the hallway, in the direction of the kitchen.

"Stupid idiots." I found myself muttering under my breath as I swung the door open.

"Agreed." I heard Naru reply, also muttering. In silence, I flew around the kitchen in a graceful (somewhat) frenzy, making a hell of a lot of tea. It was then that it really hit me that I had such a big family now, going from the original SPR team and Frederic to...well, everyone I met over the last couple days.

"You ready?" Naru asked, glancing at the overloaded tray of tea. I nodded, smiling at him. Naru, considering the fact we were alone, smiled back at me and held the door open. My heart swelled; it was the tiny gestures that he made here and there that made me love him so much more.

Together, we walked down the hallway, retracing our steps. Words weren't being spoke, as we were engulfed in our own thoughts, but that's when it happened.

As soon as we crossed back into the grand entrance hallway, I felt a wave of nausea hit me, strong and making me go weak kneed. Crying out in pain and shock, I dropped the tray and grabbed my head, feeling as if someone was hitting me with a hammer.

"Mai?" Naru cried out in alarm. Through my now blurred vision, I could see him dropping to his knees with his arms outstretched. That's when I blacked out; naturally or due to pain, I wasn't sure. And I was back in 'Dream Land', as I liked to put it. And then I was seeing things.

_A girl who seemed, at first glance, to be around my age was hurrying down the halls of the very same manor my grandma lived in._

_"Hurry, hurry!" Someone's voice was calling, almost as if it was a moan. Transfixed, I watched as the girl rounded a corner and found herself in the grand entrance hallway, tripping and stumbling over her own feet._

_"Tick, tock...your time's running out." The metallic-like voice crooned, causing the girl to gasp in fright and pick up her pace._

_"No, please!" She was begging, her tears falling to the marble floor with soft, audible 'thumps'._

_"Hurry up, sweet...he won't wait much longer, now will he?" The voice reiterated, sounding sickly sweet and increasing in volumes._

_"HE WILL!" The girl screamed, throwing the front door open. I watched, slightly mortified, as she bounded down the stairs and headed for the backyard gardens. Where Seika attacked Emi and I._

_"Decided to show up?" A nasty, familiar voice asked, sounding bitter._

_"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" The girl replied, sounding upset._

_"It took you forever." The man replied, crossing his arms. Since he was standing in the shadows, I couldn't get a clear view of his face._

_"Now, dear, we have matters to discuss..." The man continued, and then stepped out of the shadows. I saw his face, alright._

That would be when I woke up, to the bright lights of the base room, with anxious eyes staring down at me. Silently, I lay there, replaying the short scene in my head. I was more confused than ever, that was for sure.

**A/N: I DON'T HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW. SCORE! That means (most likely) a super duper long chapter shall be posted, along with this one today! :D Makes up for those weeks I didn't post...*shudders at the memory* Review if you think you know who the mystery couple is. ;) Lilacccc OUT!**


	28. Equally Loved

**A/N: I...okay, no message today. Just get to reading! Anyways, what happened to all my regulars? :( Special thanks to Minato-kun Luver, xSapphirexRosesxFan and YunaNeko who've been reviewing since, like, forever! :D You mean a lot, sirs/ma'ams! This one's for you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

"What the stick people?" I mumbled, the words almost incoherent.

"Thank god." I heard Martin say, sighing with relief.

"Bou-san's anything BUT skinny, Mai." Yasu grinned, patting my head. I chuckled softly, only for it to be turned into a coughing fit. Right away, I felt someone shove a glass of cold liquid into my hands with haste. Grateful, I nodded my thanks and gulped it down; it was water, as I suspected.

"T-Thanks." I managed to say, after the water sloshed down my parched throat.

"Oh, Mai. What happened?" Emi whispered, clutching my free hand and gazing at me with worry and concern.

"I...had a dream. Vision, you could call it." I replied, still quiet. Everybody was silent, waiting for me to continue; and so I did.

"There was a girl running, and a voice sneering at her. At the end, she met up with Seika...and he said that they had matters to 'discuss'." I explained, my body trembling. Almost right after I had finished speaking, I felt someone's warm arms wrap around me comfortingly, rocking my body back and forth against their muscular chest.

"It's alright, Mai. We're here for you." Gene murmured, his voice soothing my jumpy nerves.

"I was so scared, Gene. The voices, they were so familiar. Seika seems...so evil!" I cried into his sleeve, unable to stop the onslaught of tears.

"I know, Mai, I know. You're safe now." He tightened his grip, pulling me firmly against his defined chest.

"Do we have any leads?" I heard Luella ask desperately, probably to Naru.

"We do, but we needed Mai." He replied, his voice sounding tight. "I don't think she's in any condition to fight off demons."

"I have to go to the bathroom." Emi excused herself, before hurrying out of the room. Although, something about her actions and facial expression made me wonder.

**Emi's POV (Been a while, eh?):**

I hurried down the dark, foreboding hallway in haste. If even one person suspected my actions, they would've caught me.

While Mai was out, Naru had explained his plan. Apparently, he and Lin had traced the strongest surges of power back to one of the rooms farthest from the base, and he wanted Mai to go in and see what she could find. I wasn't risking my sister's life, hell no.

Discreetly, I bounded up the stairs with my head in the clouds. I knew that this wasn't safe, and when it was all over Mai would broke my ass into a hell of a lot of pieces, but it had to be done. It was hurting ME seeing Mai so...broken. Upset.

"Where is it..." I muttered to myself, searching the rooms.

"Looking for something?" A male voice asked, sounding amused.

"Yup, this room that- wait." I turned, to come face-to-face with Gene, who was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Er...hi?" I replied tentatively, smiling hesitantly. He came forward again, invading my little personal bubble, and smacked my head.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I shrieked, angered. He smirked, before crossing his arms and staring at me with his eyes blazing. An emotion I couldn't place churned within the dark-blue crevices, pulling me to him like a siren's song.

"Why are you risking your life, Em?", he asked, sounding upset. Taking a few moments, I thought of an explanation.

"Well, my life isn't as important as Mai's. Plus she's my sister, and I don't like seeing her in pain." I answered honestly, unable to think of a good lie. Abruptly, Gene grabbed my upper arms and pulled me against him.

"DON'T say that. You are a human, and you are worth just as much as Mai. Both of you have a lot of people that love you. Only difference is that Mai has Naru, and you have ME." He told me fiercely, his eyes burning. Then he realized what he said. So did I.

"Um..." I mumbled, blushing. Then, I was kissing him.

It was as if a burning desire inside of me was being fed, only to add fuel to the concoction.

After what seemed like an eternity of love, safety and comfort, we broke apart for air. Breathing heavily, I stared up at him through my eyelashes.

"Ready to go back?" He asked, his voice thick with lust and desire. I giggled, before nodding and letting him entwine our fingers.

"Going somewhere, lovebirds?" A lazy voice asked, echoing through the hallways. Pausing, I stared at Gene in fright and watch his face contort with anger and worry.

"Go." He pushed me forward slightly, indicating that I should run.

"No! I'm not leaving you behind!" I all but screamed, angered. I wasn't running from a fight. I wasn't leaving him behind. I wasn't going to be a coward!

"Em, listen. You don't know how to control your powers. For all we know you can KILL yourself! GO, I'll be FINE." He yelled, this time shoving me with force. I stumbled forward, unable to gt my legs to work properly, and then I heard faint snarling. Growling. Footfalls.

"EM, GO!" Gene shouted again, this time sounding frustrated with me.

"NO WAIT DO YOU HEAR THAT?" I yelled back this time, causing him to stop screaming like a banshee and listen attentively. Then we both heard it; prominent snarling and growling. Definitely footballs.

"Shit." Gene swore, grabbing my hand and tugging me to his side.

"Stay at my side." He instructed, before turning back in the direction of the snarling. Of the growling. Of the- okay, wait. I think you get the idea.

"No escape for my pretty, little niece and her boyfriend!" The voice- Seika?- laughed.

"Em, do you think you can bring forth your powers?" Gene asked me urgently, giving me a pleading look. Nodding, not wanting to disappoint him, I concentrated long and hard. I thought of pikachu. I thought of lightning. I thought of sparks. Still, nothing. That's when I heard Gene cry out a warning and something heavy hit my side, sending me tumbling towards the floor. Crying out, I felt as if the right side of my body was being engulfed in flames. Searing pain spread throughout my body, and that's when I blacked out, vaguely aware of Gene's body falling as well.

**Mai's POV:**

I'd been talking with Yasu when I felt as if someone was cooking me over an open fire. Crying out in pain, aware of everyone's pleads and cries, I fell to the floor with my body twitching.

"Mai!" Everyone was yelling, again and again. Slowly their words morphed into strangled noises, pitched and broken. High and low. Whimpering, I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by walls of white-hot flames, each lick dancing with exotic feel.

"Where am I?" I whispered to myself.

"You're time is running out, young one." Someone's voice called out, sounding sickly sweet.

"What are you talking about?" I shouted, pissed.

"You'll find out." The voice crooned, before everything around me went black. I lost all sense of logic, and found myself drifting away...away...away.

**A/N: Not much to say, 'cept I hope you review. AND AW! Emi and Gene had their first kiss :D**


	29. Lady Of The Flames

**A/N: And so Lilac realizes how boring this case has been and realizes she must kick it up a notch. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

_I was back in England, floating towards the manor. Though, everything didn't appear to be as... disheveled as it was when we visited. Then I realized I was having a vision, of the past._

_"Hannah!" Someone was yelling. Then I realized it was...Seika._

_My mother stepped out onto the porch, smiling widely._

_"Seika!" My mother called back happily, bounding down the porch steps and into his hug. He laughed, spinning their bodies around in a circle._

_"Hello." He put her down and stepped away, smiling widely. "Where's my brother and Alex?"_

_As if on cue, I watched as a 4-year old me and my father come out of the front door, wearing identical grins. Mischief-filled grins, to be exact._

_"Have you two been busy?" My mom asked, raising an eyebrow. _

_"No mommy!" My younger-self chirped, giggling. The giggling, however, gave her away._

_"Cookie jar?" My mom asked, groaning. Sheepishly, my dad nodded, scratching the back of his head. _

_"As much as love watching you deprive my brother of his needs, I was wondering where Alana was?" Seika laughed, his cheeks flushing a soft, pink hue. My mom laughed along with him, before pointing towards the gates that led down to the house._

That's when the vision ended, leaving me in complete confusion. Who was Alana? The name seemed to ring some sort of bell as my mind worked. As if, in the deepest crevices of my mind, there was some sort of recognition as to who 'Alana' was. Why did the name seem so familiar? Frustrated, I ran my fingers through my hair roughly. Then something clicked; if that was a day I could remember, and if 'Alana' had came to the house, why couldn't I remember her? Confused, I blinked a couple of times, before I realized I was...falling.

Gasping involuntarily, I felt myself tumbling down through the darkest abysses of the Spirit World. The soothing shades of greens and dimmed whites transitioned into blacks and muddy browns, the bright twinkle and the 'life' of the world gone.

For the first time in my many visits to the Spirit World, I felt frightened. Scared. Worried. Trapped. The worst feelings in the world.

Then, abruptly, I found myself in a world of fiery flames. Again.

_"Hello, young one."_ Someone's voice greeted me, somewhere in the general frontward area. Passed the jumping clusters of hot, flickering fires.

"H-Hello?" I replied, my voice shaking. The flames, as if assessing the level of threat I possessed, seemed to simmer down, but still danced in a frenzy. They furled, curled and galloped across the...walls? Walls, yes, walls of even more flames. They glowed in furious shades of orange, red and yellow, melting and clashing into one another.

_"And the time has come for his legacy to be undone..."_ The feminine voice whispered, her ominous words echoing throughout the cavern.

"Excuse me?" I asked, confused.

_"A foretold mystery. The great demon, brought down by a mere child? This shall be interesting. Entertaining, even."_ The woman continued on, starting to sound amused. She was amused, and I was confused.

"Are...you talking about Seika?" I asked again, sounding apprehensive.

_"Forever ballistic and harmful. His reign has to be stopped, almost immediately. For he cannot love, cannot cherish. He's only able to harm. To kill. To be the beast his father was. Duo sisters shall be his downfall; soon enough, the demon of the Underworld shall meet his demise."_ The woman laughed, lightly. As if she knew something I didn't. She knew, for a fact, a lot of things I didn't.

"Duo sisters? Demon? What the heck...LADY ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!" I yelled, when she wasn't answering my questions.

_"I'm sorry, Alexa. I was talking to myself, wasn't I? Nonetheless, I hope you listen to this lady's words of truth and wisdom. I have seen a lot, I have felt a lot and I will continue my jobs."_ She apologized, sounding faint.

"Who are you?" I asked again, still frustrated and lost. Who did she know my name?

_"Ah, but if I told you I'd be breaking rules, would I not? Ah well, their loss. This family has kept too many secrets from one another."-_She was family?_-"It is I, love, Alana. Your aunt, and Seika's...first of many wives."_ Alana told me, her voice sounding...remorseful? Bitter? Emotions I couldn't describe coursed through my with so much power I started feeling faint.

"A...aunt?" I asked again, sounding disbelieving. She nodded, and my brows furrowed.

"Why can't I remember you?" I asked, crossing my arms.

_"Sweetie, I was forced to suppress your memories of me when...you left."_ She explained, sounding hurt and apologetic.

"Why?" I asked again. There had to be more to this story, I could just feel it.

_"It...wasn't safe for you."_ She hesitated, before continuing. _"If you remembered the Lady of the Flames, the council would've came for you." _

"Council? Lady of the Flames?" My eyebrow shot up at the use of the terms.

_"Yes...I control the fires and flames of the Underworld. The council are the people who decide which spirits take on those kind of jobs. It's usually people with PK. The council members are ruthless, bloodthirsty and aren't afraid to kill, love. That's why I had to bury your memories."_ Alana explained, sounding distant. _"Alex, my time with you is coming to an end. I must go soon, before the council finds out about my visit. I must tell you one more thing, though."_ She paused, waiting for me to give her the signal to continue. Deep down, in my gut, I could tell this wasn't going to be pleasant.

_"The council...they...Alex, you had a twin. When you were born, they took her captive."_ Alana told me, causing my blood to freeze over. The world turned black despite my cries of shock and my weak protests. Then I was sitting up, with Yasu looming over me, looking frantic.

"OH MY GOD YOU'RE AWAKE!" He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug, successfully cutting off my air. Shoving him off me, I scanned over the people in the room, realizing my parents weren't in here. Angry beyond words, I jumped off the bed and strode out of the room, ignoring the calls of the people around me. Breaking into a run, I flew down the hallway. Approaching base, I threw the door open and walked in, ignoring the stares of Naru, Lin and a few others.

"Mai?" Martin asked hesitantly. I didn't answer; instead, I stared at me parents with all the resentment i could muster.

"You are going to explain to me _why_ you never told me I had a twin sister."

**A/N: Did I confuse anyone? There's a LOT more to the story of dear Mai :D Did you think it was only gonna be that she's got mad PK powers and long-lost parents? HELL TO THE NAW. She's got a WHOLE lot more secrets folks, and they will SLOWLY be revealed!**

**Another thing; I love love LOVE writing this story, and I thought...maybe I should continue it for a while? (: Y'know, maybe make this a story of like...10 cases? Possibly hit 1000 reviews at the same time? :D That would mean SO much to me, guys! So, yeah! Let's start reviewing if you enjoy my story, eh? (: Please? With cherries, drunk Yasu's, and...Nai moments? :D LET'S GET TO 1,000 GUYS! *cheers***


	30. A Family's Past

**A/N: Yeah, I read over the last chapter and realized it was kinda confusing. XD Thanks for the spike in reviews, guys! It means a lot! I mean, I know that this particular case hasn't been all that awesome lately, but I haven't been feeling too well. Emotionally and physically. PLUS, school's being mean. SO YEAH. This one's for everybody who stuck by this story and put millions of smiles on my face constantly! :D Anyways, this chapter is more of a clear-up...call it whatever you want LOL XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

Silence descended upon the room as my parents and the others registered what I said.

"How'd you find out?" My mother finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Does it matter?" I shrieked, throwing my hands up and glaring at her accusingly. She sighed in response to my child-like reaction.

"Full story or...?" She asked, sounding lifeless.

"Full." I responded, sounding just as dull. Taking a deep breath, my mom started. Started the tale of the Raine Family.

"I married your father. Frederic's a bachelor. Seika...Seika was married to Alana, my sister." At the mention of a long-gone relative, my mom started tearing up, but continued the story with a strong voice. "They were madly in love, you know. Seika would crawl to the ends of the earth to keep Alana happy, and vice versa. It went on like that for about 5 years, before things started changing.

Seika came home late and left early, at the break of dawn. Whenever he came home, he'd come smelling like alcohol. Alana was starting to get worried, but didn't confront him about it. Thought he was letting out steam, she'd told me one day. But her views on his actions changed they day he came home with a blond bimbo hanging off his arm and led them to their bedroom.

Heartbroken, worried and angered, Alana severed all ties she had with Seika. All she had control over, though; he was still her brother-in-law. Shortly after the divorce, Seika married another woman. And another and another. With no shame, he broke hearts.

Then came the night of Alana's accident." My mother paused, gathering the strength and will to continue on talking. By now, the others had waddled into the room as well, and were as intrigued in the story as I.

"She...she'd been coming back from the hospital after getting some shots. It was a drunk driver...a hit and run nobody witnessed. She died alone, hurt and cold." My mother had to pause yet again, her chin trembling. I was trembling, too, but for different reasons. She continued, closing her eyes in pain.

"A day or two after her death, whilst we were still mourning, we received word that...that Alana had been forced to become the Lady of the Flames. Seika had heard, too, and had come to the manor demanding to know how to contact her. Oh, Mai, if only you'd seen him that day. His eyes were full of greed. It was revolting. He said he wanted her back because he 'loved' her, but I could tell he just wanted to be linked to the power. Alana's power.

We banned him from the manor. Said you didn't need an uncle like him. He promised he'd get revenge, hence the attacks."

"Tell me about the twin." I asked again, this time through gritted teeth. I could tell they were stalling. My dad huffed out, before gripping the sofa's arm and responding.

"You were born with a twin. Her powers were immediately active, catching the council's eye. They took her away without our consent." He explained, sounding moody and upset.

"Is that why, when Mai was younger, you worried about her powers growing too fast too soon?" Naru asked, cutting into the conversation. My mom smiled, as if glad he'd asked.

"Yes, exactly. We worried that if Mai suddenly sparked up onto their radar, they would take her away too." My mom answered, smiling softly.

"So, I had a twin that was taken away and it didn't occur to you that you should tell Emi and I?" I asked again, my voice cold.

"We thought it was better if you didn't know, Mai..." My dad whispered, his voice catching. I could tell he wasn't far off from tears, and I wasn't either. Yet I knew I had to stay strong, even if it was for even a little bit longer.

"Where is Emi, anyways?" I asked, realizing the absence of my sister. She needed to know about our family's history, too.

"Oh, Mai..." I heard someone whisper. Ayako? I wasn't sure. She was never soft our quiet, though. Always loud and obnoxious, but knew when she had to get serious.

"Mai, she and Gene were attacked and taken hostage." Naru explained, his voice void of any emotion.

"THEY WERE WHAT?" I screamed. Nobody said anything, though most of them flinched. Naru, though, was unaffected.

"It's time to go get some rest. Everybody, you know your partners. Mai, you're with me. Tomorrow, bright and early, we start searching for Gene and Emiko. Get some rest, and be prepared to find the worst." He instructed, gazing into everybody's eyes.

"What if we don't find them?" Yasu asked, his own voice trembling uncontrollably.

"LIKE HELL WE WON'T FIND THEM. I WON'T GO HOME UNTIL WE DO!" I roared, turning to glare at him.

"O-Okay." He responded, his knees buckling. Still raging, I turned away to stare at a wall, lost in my thoughts. Everybody cleared out of the room, leaving just Naru and I.

"C'mon, we'll find them. Tomorrow." He added, almost as an afterthought.

"We better..." I muttered to myself, before turning and following him out of the base.

**A/N: So, I hope I cleared up the things that needed to be cleared up? I hope I didn't confuse you any further, lol D: If you guys are still confused, I'll post up a quick A/N about everything you should know at this point. Review! See ya soon (hopefully)!**


	31. Worst Day EVER

**A/N: *Sighs* I've had a horrible week, sorry guys, it's why I couldn't (and didn't) upload. :(**

**Okay so, thanks for the reviews, and um...**embarrassed** How did I pass off Japan as a city? I'M A DUMB-CHILD. Thank you to Sakura Ichigo Morihiko for pointing out my mistakes! **

**To all of you saying my story's full of secrets/turns/twists: Well, the explanation behind that is that this one story contains every idea I ever had for a GH fanfic xD. Since I watched the anime like a year ago, this fanfic's story-line/plot had a LOT of time to gain momentum. SO YEAH. I'm sorry if I clumped a heck of a lot of info into the last couple of chapters, I assure you the 'fast balls' about Mai's past are done (for now).**

**To ALL reviewing: Thank you for your kind words! It just lately hit me how many people enjoy this story, and that warms my heart. (: I refuse to be someone who abandons a story cherished by others! I promise you that much! **

**SO, ENJOY THIS CHAPTER (I don't know how long it is.) AND MAY- Oh god no. The Hunger Games Fever is getting to me D: I'm more of a Percy Jackson fan, so yeah. It's annoying, LOL.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

**I was trudging. Yeah, yeah...call me whatever you want, but I was mad. What was of day was this, YOU TELL ME:**

**1)I black out several times.**

**2)Meet my long-lost aunt.**

**3)Learn I have a twin.**

**4)Realize my family has huge issues when it comes to secrets.**

**5) MY SISTER AND MY BEST FRIEND ARE MISSING.**

"Mai." I heard Naru say, flatly.

"Eh?" I responded, sounding sour.

"Stop being sour.", he told me, sounding...annoyed? SO HE'S ANNOYED, EH?

"You're annoyed? That's nice." I retorted, crossing my arms. Before he could say anything, though, I sped up and walked up the flight of stairs and took a right. I kept walking, until I heard Naru's voice again.

"The bedroom's this way, Mai."

Well, isn't that nice.

Huffing, I whirled around and strode over to where he stood, waiting, with a smirk on his lips.

"You are treading in dangerous waters, boyfriend." I growled at him, angered by his attitude.

"You need sleep." He stated, looking...amused?

"NO, I NEED MY SISTER AND MY BEST FRIEND BACK!" I yelled, glaring at him with all my might. Suddenly, he pushed me sideways, and I fell through the air and onto a...carpet?

"Ow." I whined from my spot on the floor. Naru stepped over me and walked over to the bathroom. I heard the distinct 'click' of a door being locked.

"Jerk." I muttered, getting to my feet and brushing myself off. By now I realized we were in our room; the bed made it-

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHH?" I yelled, surprised.

"What are you yelling about now?" Naru asked, frustrated, as he stepped back into the room.

"Why is there only ONE bed?" I asked, the answer clear as day yet I didn't want to accept it.

"We're sharing a bed.", he stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh lord." I groaned, smacking my forehead.

"Go to sleep, Mai." Naru told me, sounding as if he was...fighting off a smile?

"Jerk!" I reiterated, before plopping myself down onto the soft, plump pillows. Shortly after, I felt the other side of the mattress dip as he lay down too. For a moment, just a moment, everything seemed calm and serene. Like there wasn't anything wrong. However, there was a nagging feeling...reminding me of what tomorrow would bring. Just as I fell asleep, I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched, by someone OTHER than Naru...

**A/N: Yes, short. I know...I wasn't really 'in the zone', so...be glad for any update at all. YES MY WEEK HAS BEEN THAT BAD. *sad* Review to cheer me up?**


	32. Flames Of Pain

**A/N: Yay! Everything blew over! :D And I noticed, after I posted the chapter, I formatted it wrong. FUUUU- (that kind of stuff irks me.)**

**ANYWAYS, on to the chapter. I guarantee that this one shall be ACTION packed. JUST BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ALL. HAPPY V-DAY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLES! SHANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

A scream woke me up. Thrashing about and getting tangled in the covers, I found myself crashing to the floor.

"Mai." Naru's voice came, sounding alarmed.

"Someone screamed." I informed him while pulling off all the stupid sheets that had wrapped themselves around my legs.

"You probably just-" He was cut off by yet another scream. Snarling something inaudible under his breath, he clambered off the bed as well and helped me untangle myself from the sheets.

When the sheets were finally strewn across the floor, we took off running. The screams kept coming, louder and more urgent than the last cry.

"Where's it coming from!" I cried out, frustrated. For the last 5 minutes, we'd been running around in circles, always ending up in the main hallway.

"I-"

"Hello, Alexis." Someone purred, sounding smug. Too bad I recognized that voice.

"Seika." I snarled.

"Aw, is that anyway to greet your uncle?", he mocked, making an appearance.

It was almost as if he was an illusion, but I knew better. The shadows morphed together, blending and seemingly churning. There, in all his 'glory', was Seika, smirking down at Naru and I.

"Naru, back up." I told him firmly.

"No, I won't-"

"NARU, don't argue with me!" I snarled, angry. What did he think he could do? Slowly, but begrudgingly, he backed up.

"Aw, look at little Lexi looking out for her boyfriend." Seika cooed mockingly, a taunting light in his eyes.

"Shut up." I growled, feeling my PK coming alive. The familiar sparks of energy set my nerves alive, flowing through every inch of my body.

"Ah, but if I shut up, I couldn't tell you what I did to your sister and her boyfriend, could I?" Seika asked, placing a finger on his chin and looking dominant. His words froze me over.

"What did you DO?" I roared, feeling the PK energy leaving my in waves of sheer force and power. Somewhere behind me, I could faintly here Naru yelling at me to calm down, but I was way past being able to calm down. No, I was angry. Truly. That brought out the horrendous side of me; the blood-lusting beast.

"LIKE I'D TELL YOU!" Seika yelled back, cackling madly. Then, just like that, I felt something inside of me snap. Thinking back, it was probably the last strand, the final string, connecting my mind to sanity.

Yelling out with anger, I brought forth all the PK energy I could find within me and let it explode. I could hear distant cries, all of them startled and alert, but I toned the voices out.

Having grabbed some sense of what was going on, Seika fumed and unleashed his own PK. I smirked; a sadistic stretch of my lips. He was grabbing at loose straws.

"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE, UNCLE?" I roared, laughing loudly. I wanted to seem him bleed. See him broken. See him in pain.

He was cursing and throwing insults my way, when a sudden burst of heat vibrated through the room. Stilling, but not withdrawing my PK, I whipped my head from one side to the next, unsure of where the heat-wave'd come from.

"Written is my life in ink from a pen.

I cannot undo what I wrote, no matter what happens...

Because you can and will write out your mistakes...

But you won't be able to erase what you faced."

Someone was singing, a soft and melodic whisper that fluttered through the room. Suddenly, flames exploded from the very heart of the room, spreading outward with utmost grace.

They danced, their flickers of red, orange and yellow casting a homely glow against the barren walls, even though this manor was anything but homely.

"NO. WHY MUST YOU INTERFERE?" I heard Seika roar. The heat of the flames spread across the exposed plains of skin, causing a painful, scorching power erupt from deep inside of me. Crying out, I fell to my knees in pain.

"Make it stop!" I couldn't help but cry out. But no. The pain continued, for what seemed like an eternity. Arching my back, I closed my eyes and just hoped for it all to end.

Ribbons of PK were still flowing out of my fingertips, but they seemed to be pooling around me. Was that even possible? Finally, thank the heavens, I found the pain fading, and myself falling prey to the blackness.

**A/N: Ou la la! Why was Mai en- *shuts up* Next chapter will be a surprise POV, so stay tuned! BE GRATEFUL FOR THE UPLOAD, I did this in-between a LARGE project. Review and share ya love? :D**


	33. A Lost Cause

**A/N: I feel bad about the short chapters. *sad face* Let's hope this one makes up for it? Not really, but okay...ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

**Naru's POV (WHAT A SHOCKER HEHE.):**

I awoke to Mai's disgruntled snarling and grumbling. I was also distinctively cold.

"Mai?" I called out, my voice husky with sleep. Why was she up, and complaining?

"Someone screamed.", she informed me.

"You probably just-" I was just off by the sounds of a ear-splitting scream. Cursing under my breath, I tumbled off the mattress and found Mai tangled up in the sheets. It would've been comical if it weren't for the repetitive screams.

When we finally managed to pry off the sheets, I threw them in a random direction and we started running.

Five minutes later, we still hadn't found the source of the screams; all we accomplished was loosing our breath and running around in circles.

"Where is it coming from!" Mai cried out in frustration, throwing her arms up in the arm to emphasize her angry.

"Hello, Alexis." Someone purred, sounding smug. Upon recognition, I found myself gritting my teeth.

"Seika." Mai snarled.

"Aw, is that anyway to greet your uncle?", he mocked, making an appearance. The shadows seemed to fold and cripple as he slowly popped into the air in front of us.

"Naru, back up." Mai told me firmly. Angered, I turned to face her.

"No, I won't-"

"NARU, don't argue with me!", she snarled, angry. I growled under my breath, but knew it was best for me not to argue at a time like this. I backed up, slowly, without taking my eyes off of Seika.

"Aw, look at little Lexi looking out for her boyfriend." Seika cooed mockingly, a taunting light in his eyes.

"Shut up." Mai growled, and I saw her PK started to ignite. Her fingers curled, embracing the PK trickles.

"Ah, but if I shut up, I couldn't tell you what I did to your sister and her boyfriend, could I?" Seika asked, placing a finger on his chin and looking dominant. His words froze me over, as they did to Mai.

"What did you DO?", she roared, stepping forward threateningly.

"LIKE I'D TELL YOU!" Seika yelled back, cackling madly. I watched, horrified, as Mai lost it. She screamed like a banshee, clearly broken. It took all my willpower not to step in and help her. In fact, I was just about to when I felt someone grab my arm with a firm grip. Turning, I saw Lin, his eyes grimly set, with everybody else standing behind me. All wore an identical expression; one of pitiful horror.

"She needs to fight the demons of her past by herself, Naru." Lin informed me softly. The man was stone-cold and stoic around them all, but I could see the pain evident in his irises. I nodded slowly, my own mind compressed by pain, when I heard Mai cackling. The high-pitched hatred hurt my ears, and I found myself wincing. Mai's sanity was gone. For how long was the question at this point.

Suddenly, a burst of heat flew through the room, the warm air trailing kisses across my skin. What...?

"What was that?" Ayako called out, sounding nervous. So I hadn't been the only one who'd felt the strange heat.

"I...don't know." My father sounded helpless, confused and in pain. His voice came out strained, as if he was trying hard not to scream out.

For a few moments, all that could be heard were the loud crackles of PK, as the streams of multi-coloured electricity whistled through the air. Then it came. Or, was it she?

I heard whispers. A female...singing? Straining my ears, I struggled to catch the words. Then, flames erupted from the middle of the room, bright and dangerous.

I heard people scream in shock as they stumbled back, but I stayed where I was, entranced. How could something so beautiful be dangerous? Hypnotized by the dancing lights, I held my hand up to touch the flames, ignoring the cries of protest from behind me. Before my hands touched the heat, though, the flames fell back. Blinking, I frowned. Then it hit me; why was I trying to burn my hands off?

"What the..." I muttered to myself, and then I saw who was encased in the flames.

Mai, her back arched in what seemed to be pain, was crying out. PK, in thin streams, dripped from her finger tips and hit the marble floor with a dull sparkle, pooling underneath her broken figure. I gaped, shock hitting me directly in the core. What was that?

"What the hell is going on?" I heard Bou-san roar, apparently seeing Mai's body too. I, however, didn't take my eyes off of Mai. Strangely enough, her form started to flicker. My brows furrowed, and for the umpteenth time that night I wonder what the bloody hell was going on. Mai, who'd fallen asleep in jeans and a long-sleeved V-neck, now seemed to be wear a midnight-blue summer dress that tumbled around her legs. Then her normal self. Then her dressy self. The forms flickered, faster and faster, seeming to morph into each other.

"What's going on?" I heard my mother call out. Was everyone else seeing what I was seeing?

"No, no no no no NO!" Someone was whispering, the whispers increasing in volume. Confused, I turned around to see Mai's grandma, staring at Mai's changing forms with a look of horror, as were Mai's parents.

"It's all happened before..." Mai's mom whispered, before passing out.

"Eh?" Bou-san asked, staring at the trio with weariness.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice sharp. So they knew what was going on? A tension-filled silence followed their outburst and my question. Everybody was awaiting an answer, any shred of information on why Mai was in pain.

"I..." Her grandma trailed off, wringing her hands. So they didn't want to tell us? Angered, I stepped forward intimidatingly.

"TELL US." I commanded, glaring at them with all the hatred I could muster.

Suddenly, the flames that illuminated the walls died, leaving the entrance hall even darker than it normally seemed. Turning, I felt my eyes widen a fraction when I saw Mai's limp figure on the fall in a heap.

"Mai!" I yelled, racing over to where she lay. No answer. I picked up her body, turned, and stared at everyone.

"She better be alright." I snarled, before running. If she didn't make it, well...the future looked bleak.

**A/N: So, as a little treat for you all (and more depth for the story and its events), here's a bit more Naru. And what happened, from an outsider's point of view. So, lately, I've noticed that the support for the story's been wavering. I don't know why, but I hope you guys realize I'm trying. I love all you awesome-tastic fans that review each and every chapter, my heart belongs to y'all, but let's try and increase the fan-base? :D Chapters will hopefully get longer; they're short because:**

**A) I'm writing on a whim.**

**B) I have school and work.**

**C)SUPPORT. IS. WAVERING.**

**Review and show some love? :D**


	34. Recalling The Past

**A/N: Happy FAMILY DAY!**

**Disclaimer: Lilac does NOT own GH.**

**Emiko's POV:**

I was swimming in darkness. No, scratch that; I was drowning. Everywhere I seemingly looked, there was black.

It was, to me, a soothing colour. Most people at the mention of black thought of darkness and loneliness. I, on the other hand, thought of the dark, night skies. And a certain teenager's pitch-black hair.

Suddenly, the black world became invaded by flashes of colour. Words echoed throughout my ears, all somewhat familiar. Where has something like this happened before?

_"You need to go...now...SAVE HER ANNA!"_

_"Don't try to hard. You'll blow a gasket."_

_"You have a sister, Emi."_

_"After everything your parents did for you?"_

_"Hello?"_

_"What do _you_ suggest I do?"_

_"DAMN IT!"_

_"Mai has Naru, you have me..."_

I screamed out, the vast amount of words and the kaleidoscope of colours becoming too much for my head to handle. Why was this all coming back to me?

Clutching my head, I fell to my knees, then pitched forward yet again and fell face-flat onto the cold, barren floor.

Snickers, laughter, crying, yelling...all of it.

"No! NO! _NOO_!" I yelled, writhing. Then, it all stopped. Silence filled the Black World, calming me down, yet I felt different. Then, realization dawned on me.

I could clearly remember the conversation I had with Naru about his feelings towards Mai. I could remember Anna telling me I had a sister. I could remember.

"E..Em...EMI...EMIKO!" Someone was calling me name, over and over, like a broken record. Opening my eyes with extreme difficulty, I gazed up into the sapphire-blue orbs that churned with anxiety.

"Gene?" I called out, my voice hoarse.

"I'm right here, Em." He gripped my hand hard, his voice soft and...caring? Loving? Then I remembered I had to tell him I had my memories back.

"Gene! I got my memories back!" I cried out, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Really that's great..." He sounded off, but somewhat glad nonetheless. My eyebrows furrowed; wasn't he happy for me?

"What's wrong?" I asked, pouting.

"I...eh...do you remember anything that happened after you awoke?" He asked, letting go of my hand. Despite the darkness, I could hear him scurry off some distance from me. I frowned; why was he acting this way?

"Yes...you kissed me..." I trailed off, a slight hue of pink now covering my cheeks. Thank god it was dark. No, wait. Thank the crappy electricity provider; though, it might not be their fault given circumstances...I mean, not every house has a madman on the loose inside of it...as far as I knew, anyways.

"Oh, you remember." He sounded relieved, and a few seconds later I felt him grab my hand again.

"Hah, you thought I wouldn't?" I smirked, looking in his general direction.

"Shut up. A man's heart and feelings are _not _to be messed with." He whined, smacking my arm with his free hand. I laughed, the noise echoing through the...wait, what?

"Gene..." My voice dangerously calm. "Explain to me WHY we're locked in a closet."

I could literally feel his panic.

"Eh...um...well...er...it's locked?", he offered, unhelpfully. I found myself face-palming.

"Gene." I started to answer, carefully. "You have something called PK."

"Well, I know. But, um, I didn't want to wake you.", he answered. I sighed; well, at least he was being honest.

"Okay." I replied, before activating my dormant PK. Watching, in slight awe, as it came alive in my palms.

"PK is a beautiful, dangerous thing." Gene commented, almost as if he read my mind. I nodded absentmindedly, before launching the PK at the door. Upon impact, the door flew off the hinges, hitting a wall with a loud, echoing 'smack'.

"Nice." Gene grinned, before getting off the floor and offering me a hand.

"Always the gentleman, I see." I giggled, before interlacing our fingers and hoisting myself onto my feet.

"Of course." Gene wiggled his eyebrows comically.

Together, hand in hand, we walked down the hallway, shrouded by darkness. The hallways seemed to twist and go on forever, but we didn't let that bring our spirits down. To help us see, I kept a palm of PK alive, the crackles and sizzles barely audible over our mindless chatter and consistent laughter.

**Mai's POV:**

It felt as if my whole body was being burnt by flames, slowly but surely. I tried to scream out, but it was almost as if my throat had closed out, allowing no sound to pass. Why was I feeling like this?

"M..Mai!" Someone was calling my name, again and again and again, but I couldn't respond. It hurt to even OPEN my mouth, let alone try and attempt to use it. Then, it all faded away. The pain, the flashes of bright colours, everything. Left in its place was black. Inky blackness that seemed to be everywhere.

"H..help..." I managed to whisper, shockingly. Then, with a bright flash, I was back in the...emergency room?

"She has to wake up soon, doesn't she?" I heard someone whisper, brokenly. Were they talking about me?

"Of course, don't be ridiculous!" Someone else retorted, most likely in response to the question.

"H..he..hello?" I choked out, breathing heavily. It still hurt it talk, badly. I heard chairs scraping, maybe even one falling back against the aluminum flooring.

"Mai!" Bou-san cried out, joyous.

"You're awake!" Yasu added, grinning with...relief? Why relief?

"H-How...long was I...o-o-out?" I asked, my voice hoarse with either non-use or pain. Possibly both.

As if sensing my discomfort, Ayako grabbed a cup of water and helped pour it down my parched throat. Gulping it down, I felt my throat reopening, the dryness dispersing.

"Thanks." I said with a smile once the water was all gone. Ayako gave me a tight-lipped smile, before pulling back to stand beside Bou-san.

"How long was I out?" I asked, now recovering and alert. They looked between each other, uncomfortable looks on their faces, before John decided to answer.

"About 5 hours, Mai.", he said quietly, his eyes downcast.

"Long enough for Naru to-" Yasu began, but was cut off.

"YOU IDIOT, HE SAID NOT TO TELL HER!" Bou-san yelled, glaring at Yasu.

"Not to tell me what?" I asked, concern brewing at the very pit of my stomach. Nobody answered.

"_NOT TO TELL ME WHAT!_" I yelled, angered. How dare they try and hide something like this from me!

"He's trying to take down Seika by himself, Mai." Masako informed me, her eyes hardening considerably. Those words were all it took to get me up and running through the hospital, ignoring the world. All I could think about is the last time Naru used his PK.

**A/N: WRITING ON A WHIM. WRITING ON A WHIM. BRAIN CIRCUIT OVERLOAD! *explodes***

**Review for Naru to live? :D**


	35. A Final Battle

**A/N: Thanks for all your love, guys! Anyways, this case will be over soon, and the 3rd case with most likely be something a bit more...'normal' for SPR. XD. SPR and GH are anything BUT normal, though...Moving on...enjoy the chapter! (Hopefully)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

I was running, running, running. Getting to the manor overrode the need for safety and comfort. The only things in my head at the moment were 'Naru', 'faster', and 'dying'.

I was aware of the fact I was running down a roughly built path in a forest at the dead of night. I was aware of the fact I was bare footed. I was aware of the fact I most likely left the others in a state of panic.

I was aware of the fact Naru was all but committing suicide.

"Please don't let me be too late..." I prayed, a single tear rolling down the length of my cheek.

About five to ten minutes later, I found myself racing up the front steps of the manor. Throwing the door open, I paused only to listen for any indication of movement.

"Damn it!" I yelled when all I heard was dead air.

Confused, scared and bewildered, I raced up the stairs. I kept running, letting my fear control my legs.

"_No, do not give into your fear. It is what he wants._" Someone whispered, the words echoing throughout the barren hallway. I stopped running, startled, and activated my PK.

"Wh-Who's there?" I called out, glancing around me. There was no one. Was I hearing things out of dismay?

"_Fear not, young one. I was one of Seika's many mistresses. I gained permission to speak to you._" Her voice came again, this time softer and consoling.

"Why would you want to speak to me?" I asked, dumbfounded. Why the hell were the dead chasing me down?

"_Do not fret. I have simply come to guide you to your love._" She hastened to assure me of her priorities.

"Oh...kaayyy..." I said slowly. Then what she said clicked. "You know where Naru is?"

A soft, tinkling laugh followed my words.

"_Yes, child, though I don't have much time. They are farthest back, in the garden, where Seika...handled his problems. Good luck, my time is up._" With those final words, I felt her presence leave with a gust of wind.

"Thank you..." I whispered, before turning and running back the way I came. Retracing my steps, I stumbled down and out the front door, back into the cold fury of the night. The trees were dancing in a frenzy, all but quiet. Racing up the slippery slopes of emerald-green grass, I gasped at the sight that awaited me.

**(Should I stop there? Nah...I'll be a good little girl and keep going. XD YOU'RE WELCOME, FOLKS.)**

Hell hounds. Thousands of them. All stalking towards a group of people. Very familiar people, too.

Naru, Emi, Gene, Mom, Dad, Martin, Lin and Luella all stood in a small group, most having their palms filled with PK. Lin's shiki floated around them in a protective manner.

And then the fight started, legitimately.

The hell hounds quickened their pace, the closer ones leaping through the air. Immediately, my family retaliated, sparks of PK flying everywhere. For a moment, I watched, paralyzed. Then I realized I had to help. Bringing forth all the PK I could, I aimed to shot it into the middle of the large group. I found myself loosing my footing slightly as a large amount of PK flowed out from my outstretched palms, the multi-coloured electric bolts curled and danced in the air, before hitting the hounds with an undeniable amount of force and power.

Upon my first attack, most of the hell hounds turned to face me, as did the others. I heard them call out, warning me, but I didn't listen. Tuning them out, I glared at the dogs with all the hate I could muster.

"Come at me, shit-faced dumbos." I yelled, grinning slightly since I'd always wanted to say that, regardless.

And then they charged at me.

"Fuck. Didn't see that coming." I muttered to myself, preparing another shock of PK.

They came in waves of sheer mass, again and again with no breaks in-between. Despite my high PK levels and my stamina, I felt myself tiring. I knew that, somewhere behind all this chaos, the others were desperately trying to help in whatever way they could. I was taking on the weight of the world, and I was loosing it.

Everything I saw was tinged with red, my vision blurred. It was almost an automatic reaction, now, to shoot out PK. Yet, even now, I could tell my PK was became slightly weaker, the streams becoming thinner and thinner with each wave.

As time stretched on, I felt myself become even more aware of how much weaker my PK was becoming; it was barely holding the hounds off, much less kill them.

With one last stream of PK, I fell to my knees, tired out; I was giving up.

Distinct screams and pleading reached my ears, sounding fuzzy, but all I could really hear was a strange buzzing sound. Then, my vision was overcome by hounds and their disgusting slobber. This was it, I was going to die.

Closing my eyes, I awaited my death. But it never came. Instead, I felt a strange power igniting at my core. What was going on?

A fiery burn shot up my spine, spreading through my limbs. It didn't hurt, though...it felt good. I was aware of the hounds yelping in pain and agony, but I couldn't make or open my eyes. Just what was going on?

**(A/N: Again, was going to end it here, but I'll keep going, and you'll know why at the end of the chapter.)**

**Emi's POV:**

We had just met up with the others in the grand entrance all, all of them flustered and upset. Mai was in the hospital, again.

Rage filled me like a wildfire, and I found myself gritting my teeth. Gene, sensing my anger, put a calming hand on my shoulder.

"We're attacking Seika right now. He's in the garden." Naru informed us, before leading the small group out the door and into the cold night. Lost in my thoughts, I followed them around the side of the house and to the grassy fields where Mai and I were attacked only a couple days ago.

Gathering into a clump near the middle, we waited for any signs of Seika or his...'pets'.

After a few moments, though, just as we were about to give up, a loud growl ripped through the air. Freezing where I was, I turned to come face-to-face with thousands of hell hounds. Thousands. Literally.

"Shit." I swore under my breath, activating my PK at the same time. For a few, quiet (somewhat) moments, we stared them down. Then, the fight started.

It was almost as if someone had pressed the 'fast forward' button. They flew into the air, arcing with grace (somewhat). Reeling back, I bared my own teeth (okay, don't ask, it was a 'spur of the moment' thing, alright?) and shot my PK upwards.

For a few moments, it continued that way, neither side giving in. Then, our saving grace arrived. Alright, fine. That's a bit of an exaggeration...

Astounded, I watched as a large amount of multi-coloured PK slam into the very middle of the pack, killing dozens of the hell hounds on the spot. I heard Luella gasp and point to our right, and I turned, just slightly, to stare at the figure standing on a hill that overlooked the battlefield.

It was Mai.

"Mai!" I found myself yelling out in relief. Then how she looked really set in; bags under her eyes, rumpled clothing and bare feet. What had she done, thrown herself in a dryer machine?

Grumbling about how stupid Mai was, I turned back and continued fighting, shooting PK everywhere without hitting anyone important.

I was vaguely aware of the time that was passing by. The battle, however, continued, strong and seemingly never-ending. I could still see Mai's PK streams, though, and they were weakening. Grinding my teeth together, I pushed myself further, for her sake.

Then Mai's PK stopped all together. Unable to help myself, I turned and gasped at what I saw. I turned at the right moment to see Mai fall to her knees, her stance defeated.

"Mai, NO!" I screamed, trying to reach her. But to no avail; the hell hounds weren't letting up. No matter how many we took down, more showed up. It was like every one we killed, three came forward to take its place.

Suddenly, a strong gust of hot air blew across the field, causing my hair to fly around my shoulders.

"What the..." I muttered to myself, looking from side to side to see where it come from. My eyes landed on the source, causing my stomach to churn with anxiety; Mai.

Staring, I watched as her body struggled, and her form seemed to...flicker? That was the right word. Then, with no warning, a blast of hot, fiery flames erupted form the spot she lay on.

I gasped and stumbled backwards, trying to stay out of its path. The flames spread quickly, fueled by what seemed to be Mai's own body.

Dog by ugly dog, the flames killed them all off, spreading throughout the battlefield with unbelievable speed. I felt someone grab my arm and tug me sideways, causing me to slam into their side.

"Careful." Came Gene's voice, as a warning. At first, I gazed at him, my brows furrowed. Then I understand what he meant; the flames were coming in our direction. Nodding, I ran alongside him to where the others already stood; on top of the very same hill as Mai.

We all stared as the flames seeped across the fields, the honey-coloured ink spreading across the green canvas. It was a work of art; at least, that was how I saw it.

"Beautiful..." I found myself whispering despite myself.

"I know." Gene murmured.

Slowly, magically, the flames all came to one pointed and melded into nothing. They were just...gone. A slight thud proved Mai to be out cold.

"How'd she do that?" Luella asked, in awe.

"Oh dear..." Mom was whispering, leaning against Dad for support.

"What?" I demanded; they were acting as if something bad had just happened.

"The council...Mai..." And then Mom passed out. Dad caught her before she fell, her head lolling to the side.

"Oh my!" Luella gasped. She pointed, with a shaking hand, in the direction that the flames had disappeared in. There, floating in mid-air, were blood-red letters, that spelled out: 'My work is done for now, for the council have discovered my dear little nieces.'

**A/N: So? Longer than normal. :D **

**Um, apparently I'm using too much of the internet, so I'm...limited to when it comes to updating D: Sorry folks.**

**On a happier note, their second case is FINITO! Review for your opinion on the case overall? OR FOR THE FACT THE CHAPTER'S SO LONG. Shank you! :D**


	36. A New Case

**A/N: First things first, Lilac's got a few things to say!**

**1)We've hit a couple milestones recently! (Yes, I'm recording this all 'cause this is my first fanfic.) You guys got me up to 250 reviews (YAY) and I got myself up to 50,000 words (DOUBLE YAY)! SO WOO-HOO FOR US! :D**

**2) Shank you to all my awesome-tastic fans that review. :) I haven't properly said it, but you guys really do mean the world to me. I'm a really in-secure writer (YEAH YEAH SURPRISE SURPRISE!)...so yeah XD. You guys really liking this FF made my...days? Months? Oh my...it's been a while since I started up Forgotten Past, hasn't it? :D MEMORIES. ALL THE CRAZY SH*T I WROTE IN THISSSSS...THOSE WILL BE THE BEST MEMMMOOOREEHHHSS! LALALAL- Okay. I'm done.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own GH. **

**Warning: Um...themes (or theme?). Watch out. It's why the story is rated T, mind you, for moments (and cases) like this. I'm sorry, it just came to me...o3o. REMEMBER, I write on a whim.**

**Mai's POV:**

It's been a week since we'd come back from my grandmother's manor. Everything settled down as much as it could, and we all fell back into our daily routines. I still came to work late, Naru still barked for tea...y'know.

The only thing that changed, really, was the team. Oh! Bou-san did, too. Well, not his pervyness...but...um...er...Bou-san will always be himself. I found myself grimacing at the memories of all his hugs. Yasu and I have even had a chat about if Bou-san's attempt at 'hugging' is really his excuse for sexually harassing others.

Moving on...Naru and my parents both'd stayed in Japan for the sake of keeping me safe. Even though I'd argued and told them I wasn't a child, they ignored my protests and stayed. It was a nice feeling, though, knowing that you had people to turn to. Not that I didn't feel like that before, though.

Even though with all the distractions, (mainly making tea and answering panicked phone calls from Ayako about every, oh, 2 minutes? Yeah, that sounds right.) Seika's message was at the very back of my mind, almost mocking me. What did he mean, the council knew about us? What did that mean for Em and I?

Sighing in frustration, I leaned back into my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose. It was all too confusing!

"Mai, tea." Naru's monotone voice cut through the silence of the SPR office. Of course. Hadn't I brought him a cup of tea not even 3 MINUTES AGO?

Growling profanities under my breath, I stalked towards the kitchen and started the kettle. Leaning against the counter, I waited for the sharp 'brrinngg' to echo through the room.

As I got lost in my thoughts again, I heard the front door open. Straightening up, I blinked and walked back into the waiting room. There, standing on the threshold, was an elderly couple.

Just by glancing, you'd say they were a normal couple from the streets of Tokyo, but upon further inspection you could be the weariness and fear that seemed to almost be carved into their faces.

"Hello, may I help you?" I greeted them politely, smiling warmly. The man gazed at me with dull, life-less eyes and nodded slowly.

"Shibuya-san? Is this his office?" The man replied, his voice rough.

"Yes. Do you have an appointment?" I asked, motioning for them to come in.

"We do." This time, it was the woman who replied. Her voice was soft, quiet and vulnerable; instantly, my heart went out to her.

"Then please come this way." I led them in the direction of Naru's office. Opening the door (without knocking, I might add. I'm such a rebel!) I walked in and gestured for them to sit down.

"They have an appointment. I'll go get Lin." I told him, before he could ask any questions.

After we all were gathered and each held a cup of steaming tea, Naru began his interrogation.

"Now, you didn't really give me any details over the phone, so can you explain your case?" Naru stated, getting right down to business and throwing manners out the window. I gave him the tiniest of glares, before returning my attention to the old duo. The man cleared his throat and began to speak, his voice wavering.

"O-Of course. I'm apologize, but it's just that...'they' could've been listening.

Our story, 'case', begins with our 17-year old daughter.

She was a beautiful girl, inside and out. Everybody loved her, and she didn't have any bad traits.

Just recently, maybe about a month ago, we bought an old, run-down hotel. When we told Iko, our daughter, she became very excited. It was always her dream to own a hotel. To decorate it, and make it her own.

So, the renovations began. Iko dropped out of school, claiming she didn't need it, and worked full-time on fixing up the hotel. Just over a week ago, it finally opened for business. Shikoku, my wife, and I couldn't have been prouder of our little girl." The man paused to wipe a stray tear with the back of his withered hand. After a moment, he continued. "Now, she lived in one of the backroom she'd designed specially for herself, whilst Shikoku and I lived in our house, just down the road.

Though strange things started to happen. Guests started hearing things and things were moved overnight. At first, Iko believed it was just kids playing harmless pranks. Then...s-she...she was...Iko was raped."

I gasped. I couldn't help it! The man drew in a shaky breath, closed his eyes, and continued.

"She...when we found her...oh my lord, it was the scariest moment of my life. Shikoku's, too. She was bloodied and covered in bruises. The sparkle, the life, in her eyes...it was gone.

We asked her what happened, and all she said was 'I was raped by someone invisible.'...and she hasn't said anything ever since. Then we learnt other girls around Iko's age were also being raped, one has even been killed. Please, Shibuya-san, you must help!" By now, the old man and his wife were both crying, and I was too.

"I'm sorry, sir, we cannot take this case. We have too many young females on our team, and I cannot risk their safety." Naru stated firmly, closing his book up.

"Please sir, nobody else would take the case!" The man cried out, desperate.

"Naru, you better take this case or else." I growled at him, siding with the elderly couple. This was a case WE HAD TO TAKE.

"Or else what?," he asked, his eyes narrowing at me.

"Or else we're over." I answered smugly. He glared at me, glared at the floor, glared at me again, before sighing.

"Fine. We'll be there tomorrow morning. Mai, get the address and call the others."

Aha. Mai: 1, Naru: -1.

**A/N: *Winces* I have a headache. Damn it. Anyways, I hope you guys like where I am taking this case. I'll throw in a shocking twist next chapter! :D Review for a fast update? :)**


	37. AN And Small Chapter

**A/N: YES I KNOW THIS IS LATE, BUT REALLY...I HAVE A REASON.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my bestest best friend...ELAIN! Happy birthday Elain, sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. :( May your day be filled with happiness and no cousins! We all know how much they piss you off...*smirks***

**Mai's POV:**

_Absurd, inky-black clouds surrounded me. I frowned in confusion, before I realized I was dreaming. Taking a tentative step forward, I scanned my surroundings, taking in the nothingness._

_"This is pleasant..." I found myself muttering. Then, I heard it. I heard the chanting. Strange words that were seemingly from an ancient language. What...?_

_It continued, getting louder and louder, until it filled my ear-drums completely. Gritting my teeth in pain, I silently endured the noise until I urged myself to wake up. After a few moments, I felt everything fade into a milky hue of white._

I was awake. Breathing heavily, I glanced around, before closing my eyes. Naru didn't need to know about this...

_About an hour later, at SPR..._

"Everyone's here, Naru." I told him, nodding towards the clusters of SPR members milling around the van. "Except for the parents."

He nodded absentmindedly, before returning his attention back to Lin, jumping right back into the conversation I'd interrupted. I rolled my eyes and scoffed inwardly; of course they were already trying to solve the case before we got there...

"Mai!" I heard someone call out frantically. Turning just a fraction, I watched my mother run up to me, her hair falling into her eyes. It was obvious, due to her breathlessness, that she had ran quite a distance.

"Mhm?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't understand the magnitude of this case, Mai! THE COUNCIL SET THIS UP." She yelled directly in my face, spit flying everywhere.

"That's nice..." Then what she said hit home. "WHAATTTT?"

**A/N: Short, but really just for Elain. (: I hope you enjoyed...a little more insight on the case...:D**


	38. Angered

**A/N: Ugh. I feel like shit. v_v. Important A/N at the end of the chapter, stick around to read it if you enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own GH.**

**Mai's POV:**

I felt as if someone had dropped on a bomb on us. Her words had the same affect on us; everyone stood, frozen, eyes wide, staring at my mom as if she had just grown three extra heads.

"It's a TEST?" Emi shrieked, sounding as if she was in denial.

"They're testing us? THERE'S A TEST? I DIDN'T STUDY!" Bou-san raged.

"Uh, Bo-Bo? You study?" Yasu asked. Ayako snickered at the nickname.

"Oh, right. I don't...NEVER-MIND, CONTINUE ON!" Bou-san grinned, cheered up by the reminder.

"You lot are a disgrace." Naru snapped angrily, glaring at them with all the disgust he could muster. Under the harsh look, Bou-san and Yasu fell silent, refusing to look anyone in the eye. I, on the other hand, felt an unbelievable rage.

"YOU'RE KIDDING ME. AN INNOCENT GIRL WAS RAPED FOR NO FUCKING REASON?" I fumed, my hands clenching into fists.

Now it was my turn in the 'spotlight' of everyone's stares.

"Mai...there's a council full of madmen and women trying to...'recruit' you for a lack of a better word, and you're upset about that?" Gene asked, in awe, but there was an underlying sense of pride to his voice.

"NO SHIT." I growled at him. Then realized something; everyone else was concerned for us, the team. They weren't thinking about Iko...

They hadn't seen the raw pain and terror evident in her parents' eyes...I thought to myself in dismay.

"Nobody should have to suffer the way the people involved are. This isn't right." I told them firmly. "Let's hurry and finish this case ASAP. Alright?"

Nobody argued, but they all nodded. Enveloped in a thick, tense silence, we piled into our respective cars and/or vans. We rode in silence, too.

The hotel was out north, just on the outskirts of the city. So, thank god, it wasn't a very long ride to our destination. The remembrance of Iko's parents' horror and grief flashed before my eyes every time I shut them. It was horrible, and because of that I spent the whole time staring out the window.

"Mai, we're here." Someone's voice shook me out of my reverie. I nodded softly, once, before crawling out of the car.

Towering over us was a skyscraper. A tall one, at that, and I was momentarily distracted by hotel.

"Damn, why are ghosts wrecking havoc on big houses and buildings?" Bou-san whined, causing some of us to chuckle (nervously).

"Let's go." I interrupted their banter, striding past them all and up the front stairs. I was determined to end this quickly, then find a way to give this 'council' a piece of my mind.

**A/N: Uh oh! Mai's pissed off at the council! That could only lead to trouble...**

**I know it's short, BUT I have the week off from school, and I wanted the informal stuff out of the way so I don't bore you guys...onto the important A/N I was talking about earlier...**

**I know earlier I was talking about making this 10 cases long, but is that what you guys wants? I mean, what would you prefer? **


	39. Celeste

**A/N: AMG. This chapter is dedicated to: LuckyMeStuckWithYou, who reviewed EVERY, SINGLE CHAPTER, her reason simply being this story is really good. I love you, thank you for the immense support! Her reviews got me to 300+, so I'm a happy duckling:D**

**Second thing: YUP. New pen name! You like? Dislike? XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt and anything you may or may not recognize.**

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><p><strong>Mai's POV:<strong>

We walked into the hotel, most of us chatting animatedly; we, they, weren't trying to be quiet, and I could tell.

The overall condition of the hotel was, admittedly, very well-kept. If I'd walked in here by accident, I wouldn't have been able to tell that there was a rapist ghost on the loose.

Naru, hell-bent on making sure we didn't waste anytime with formalities, strode up to the front desk to get our rooms straightened out.

"Mai, are you worried?" Emi asked, her voice soft. We were at the back of the group, everyone too engaged in their own conversations to tell that we were talking.

"I'm worried I'm going to do too much damage to Iko's hotel." I answered truthfully, gritting my teeth in frustration. I still hadn't calmed down after the revelation of the fact that Iko getting raped was the council's fault.

"Mai, don't do anything-"

"_Stupid_, I know." I finished Em's sentence with a sigh, gazing down at the floor. How many times have I heard that sentence? How many times have I not done anything stupid?

"Will I have to say 'I told you so' anytime soon?" Em asked, teasingly. I smiled softly, giving her a look.

"Most likely." I laughed, earning the slight attention of Gene. I have him a grin and he winked back, before returning to the conversation he was having with Martin.

"So, what's going on with you and Gene?" I asked Em, grinning suggestively. Much to my delight (I am the older sister, after all), Em blushed and looked away.

"Nothing, we're just dating...normal." She muttered.

"Aw, you two ARE having sex! Alright, but use protection!" I yelled, before squealing and running to the front to avoid Em's hits.

"ALEXIS MARIE RAINE!" Em groaned, giving me a look full of fake resentment. I guffawed loudly, followed by Yasu and Bou-san.

Suddenly, the lights went out, the room plunging into pitch-black darkness. Cries of panic, confusion and protest filled the now cold air.

"So, you must be the infamous Alexis Raine." A voice said, from my left, in amusement. I growled inhumanely, activating my PK in record time.

The baby-blue slivers of electricity shot up and into the air, lighting the room in an eerie way. And I got my very first glimpse at the ghostly rapist.

He looked like a normal man (except he was a ghost), his face shaved and clear of any physical damage. The only thing, though, that gave me the creeps were his eyes. They were blank whites, the pupils gone. That, and his creepy smile that seemed to stretch _beyond_ his ears.

"Dickwad." I snarled, before the battle engaged.

I threw myself at him, ignoring the calls of my family. The jets of PK hit him square on, causing the two of us to tumble backwards. The mystery man, being a ghost, dipped forward and pulled away, avoiding the impact of the fall. I, on the other hand, flew into the hall and landed heavily on the floor.

"Huh. You're not all that good at this, are you?" He commented, swooping around above my head.

"I'll show you 'good'!" I roared in defiance, clambering back onto my feet. I was vaguely aware of the extra PK that was been aimed at Rapist (yeah, I'm calling him that) from where Gene and Emi stood.

I glowered at him as my PK strengthened, the shades of blue morphing into violent hues of reds and maroons. Closing my eyes in concentration, I swung my arms upwards and shot the PK, letting my instincts take over.

For some reason, though, something was different this time. Deep inside me, at my core, a dark, uneasy feeling was forming, slowly working it's way throughout my body. What the hell was going on?

"ARGH!" The rapist cried out in rage and pain. "Damn it! I must go for now, children...but anyways, I'll have fun raping you, dear Alexis!"

With that, he was gone. That much was clear. I opened my eyes, breathing heavily, and pulled back my PK.

"What the fuck." Someone swore. I glanced in the direction of the voice; it'd been Em; she looked furious. "That piss-off! How dare he threaten my SISTER! OF ALL PEOPLE."

"Didn't know you had it in you to swear, Emi." I joked weakly, before plopping myself onto the floor. "Damn, I feel tired. Why?"

My mom gave me a worried look. "You didn't use nearly enough PK for you, of all people, to be tired, Mai."

"I know that." I told her.

"Let's get back to that after setting up base." Naru interrupted, his voice sounding strained. "Come, I got the room numbers before the interruption."

I then realized the receptionist was gone.

"Ugh." I grumbled under my breath as I stumbled. At first, I was numb to the pain from the crash into the wall, but now it was hitting me. Hard.

Someone caught me before I fell, supporting my weight with ease. Lifting my head up, I shot Naru a thankful smile.

"Clumsy." Naru muttered, giving me a look. I stuck my tongue out, glad for the distraction from what just happened.

"I wouldn't be 'Mai' if I wasn't clumsy, silly!" I chastised, grinning.

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><p>"WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO GET STUCK WITH TAKING THE STUPID TEMPERATURES!" Bou-san whined. I sighed. That was about the tenth time in the last five minutes that he'd complained about our assigned job. Someone, kill me now.<p>

"The sooner we're done, with minimal complaint, the sooner we can go back." I soothed him, patting his back.

"But it's a damned HOTEL! There are DOZENS of rooms, Mai-Chan!" Yasu reiterated. Oh yeah, did I mention I got stuck with Yasu, too?

"Yeah, well-"

"Mai?" Naru's voice came from the walkie-talkie. Silently thanking god, I plucked the talkie from the holster and held it to my mouth. "Yup?"

"You three need to come back. There's someone here to see...you." His voice was tightly controlled, yet I could still sense his anger.

Knowing better than to go against Naru when he was angry, I told him we'd be there (soon enough) and informed the other two of the change of plans.

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><p>Everyone was silent and wore grim expressions when we got back from our 'adventure'.<p>

"Hey guys." I greeted them cautiously, glancing from face to face. What was going on?

"Mai." Emi got to her feet quickly. "It's better if you-"

"Shut up, Emiko." A feminine voice cut in. My eyebrows rose; _who the hell dared to speak to Emi that way_? My question was answered almost instantly.

From the shadows of the room stepped forward a girl who seemed to be around my age.

She wore a tight, black tank top, matched with black shorts that ended mid-thigh. Her caramel-brown hair ended at her waist, pin-straight. Her face was drawn into a tight, seemingly permanent angry scowl.

"And who the hell are you?" I asked, rudely. I didn't care, though; whoever spoke to Em that way would be on the receiving end of my anger.

"I'm surprised you can't tell." The girl smirked, the shadows playing across her skin. "I, dearest Alexis, am your long-lost twin sister, Celeste."

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><p><strong>AN: Long enough chapter? Yes? No? Well, I tried...**

**One last GREAT BIG thank you to LuckyMeStuckWithYou for reviewing so much and making my day yesterday :) It's fans like you (and others who review every, single chapter) that make my day. Literally. You guys makes writing worth it, and I'll always keep you in mind :D Review with your thoughts on Celeste, folks! I'll try and upload quicker next time! I had a couple appointments to go to in the last few days, so yeah...XD**


	40. Mission Impossible

**A/N: Well, wouldja lookie here! Lilac didn't fall off the face of the planet and die! *chuckles nervously* I'M SO SORRY. School's a *bleep*! I can't wait for summer break, where this FF (And my PJ one; check it out if you're a fan!~) are all I have to necessarily think about! So, without further ado, the long awaited CHAPTER 40 (or did I lose you guys completely?)! SPECIAL CHAPTER, JUST FOR YOU. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything but my OC's.**

**Celeste's POV (I feel THIS bad...):**

I walked through the dark corridors, the foreboding feeling churning throughout my body.

They had a new mission, just for me. Apparently, it was a 'special' one. The scenarios that were playing in my head were endlessly gory, the thoughts causing me to shiver violently.

"Ah, yes. Celeste. They're waiting for you." Darkie told me, with a fond smile. Over the years, you just comfortable with the people you worked with, even if they were, technically, monsters. Demons. Murderers.

Darkie wasn't so bad, by my standards. But I didn't really have standards, so don't trust me.

I nodded my thanks and threw her a tight-lipped smile before walking through the double-doors, to the auditorium.

"Ah, Celeste. Come, come." A voice greeted me, cold and daunting. "We've been...ah, expecting you for a while."

"I'm sorry Eric. I got caught up in my training." I lied through my teeth, anger coursing through my veins.

From day one (or what was day one to me; the day I started training), Eric's hated me for being such a...natural. I was better at him at his own game, and that pissed him off. A lot.

"Don't be late again, Cee. It's not good for your rep, now it is?" Eric shot back, smirking at the use of my pet-name that only FRIENDS used. Yeah, Eric wasn't a friend.

"Oh come off it, boy." A gruff voice cut in. "The girl was training. You should be praising her, not scolding."

"Yes, Darik. I apologize." Eric reluctantly grumbled, before slouching back into his seat.

"Carrying on." Darik continued, shooting Eric a disapproving look. "Celeste, we have called you here because we have a mission. That you already know of, however we shall now debrief you."

"Clearly, you are our best." Circe, yet another council member, cut in. "It is only right that you are sent out to bring back our next Lady of The Flames."

**(A/N: I was gonna stop here, but then I remember the month-long hiatus. XD)**

My shock, to say the least, was extremely evident. "T-Thank you, Circe. I shall try my absolute best not to fail."

"You must indeed give it your all, Celeste." Darik replied solemnly. "Promise us, the Underworld council, that you shall not succumb to the whispers of your heart, no matter how tempting."

Now, I was confused. Why would my heart distort my mission? "Of course, your highness's. I would never jeopardize a mission as big as this."

"Good." Circe commented with a small turn of her lips. "Would you like to know who the next Lady shall be?"

"Please."

"Your sister, Alexa Marie Raine."

My heart fell into my stomach. Eric smirked somewhat victoriously. Darik looked apologetic. Circe just looked away. Yet, even if I felt the painful clenching and un-clenching of my stomach, I knew what my answer had to be.

"I'll do it, and I'll do it now."

**A/N: There really is no excuse for me updating so late, so I deeply apologize. R/R please? :D I'll update again soon. Promise.**


	41. Step Too Far

**A/N: Hi again, guys. Been a while, eh? Important A/N at the end of the chapter, read if you're a fan. I really am sorry for leaving you guys hanging.**

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><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.<strong>**

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><p><strong>Mai's POV:<strong>

"My what now?" I asked, disbelieving. The girl crossed her arms and shifted her weight from leg to leg. I could tell she was uncomfortable with all these eyes on her, but nonetheless she held onto her cold demeanor. Or was it just her personality? Either way, I couldn't tell. I just knew she was being a jerk.

"You heard me," she retorted. "Or are you deaf on top of dumb?"

"Excuse me?" I snarled. On top of being rude and egoistical, she was a smartass too? Not in a good way, either; in that way that just made you want to pound her face into the ground. Which I was a couple seconds away from doing so.

"Again, you heard me," she taunted. She was asking for it, wasn't she? She clearly didn't know what I was capable of...

I started forward, intent on putting her in her place, when I felt two pairs of arms grab me and pull me back. I started struggling, kicking, and swearing uncontrollably. "Let me go!"

"Mai, no." Naru told me firmly. "You're not allowed to attack her."

"And why not? Let me tear her a new one!"

So I'm not lady-like or elegant or 'posh'. SUE ME FOR ALL I CARE.

"She might have valuable information."

I hate when he's right.

Calming down, I stopped thrashing, and the people who were holding me (Lin? Naru?) back let go. I flexed my arms, glaring the girl down. I had a mean stare, and I knew that for sure (okay, nobody try and knock me down from here please).

"That's right sweetie, listen to your controlling bastard." Celeste smirked, knowing she hit-home. Seriously, that smirk was INFURIATING. Almost as infuriating as Naru's smirk, but that...at least he was my boyfriend! Who was Celeste to me? At the moment, nobody. Nobody at all.

"Okay, step too far." I growled, launching myself at her. Thankfully, nobody was holding me back now (yeah cheer out loud for split decisions!). I punched her right in the jaw (there was a satisfying crack), and the two of us went down onto the floor. Quick as a bat, I straddled her hips and grabbed her wrists with one hand, slamming them onto the floor over her head.

"Why you little-"

I slapped her. Hard. Nobody insults my family (or boyfriend) and gets away with it. In my dazed state, I could hear people yelling. I could also hear Yasu and Bou-san egging me on.

"Mai, get OFF her!" I heard Emi cry. Why did she have to be such a good person? I wasn't a good person, that was for sure. I was a vengeful person...when it came to matters like this. Unlike Emi. Unlike Gene. Unlike Naru.

Well, basically, unlike everyone I loved and cared for. Talk about being the odd one out...at least I embraced my oddness (unlike Yasu, who denied it and just kept being himself...stories for another day).

"But she-" I tried.

"OFF," she begged.

Sighing, resigned, I got off the bitch and stalked over to where Emi and Gene stood, leaning against the wall.

"Thanks, Mai." Gene grinned weakly, patting my shoulder.

"Bleh." I growled, slouching against the wall. Emi, sympathetic, slipped her arm around my shoulders.

"Now, Celeste...I'm going to ask you again." Naru began coolly. "Who sent you here?"

"I already told you. The council." Celeste stated bluntly. "They apparently think Alexis is special."

"Bitch she's fabulous." Bou-san grinned at me, and I couldn't help grinning back. Bou-san, I had to admit, could cheer me up no matter what.

"Yes, special enough to get killed." Celeste smirked. Everybody in the room, save for Naru, the parents and Lin, growled.

"What are you talking about?" Naru asked, snarling.

"Oh, you'll find out," she sneered, before getting off the floor. "I'm off. I'll be back to haunt you all."

With that, she left the room, striding off as if she owned the place.

Well then.

"So..." Yasu said after a few minutes of shocked and horrified silence. "Who wants pizza?"

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><p><strong>AN: Sorta short but eh. I'm getting back on track with this FF, and this will be the LAST case in this story. However, if you get me to 400 before I'm done, I guarantee you a sequel that'll be even better written than this one :) Trust me, there's enough of you guys to get me there! And you'll have to do it soon; it changes how I end the story, trust me. **

**Anyways, I'm sorely sorry for the short chapters...and then the hiatus. I'm so so so sorry, but...can you find it in your hearts to forgive me? Please? Enjoy the regular updates! Review with your opinions of what kind of person Celeste is!**

**Question of the Chapter: Is Celeste a good person? Or is she in too deep to be a good person?**


	42. Emi's First Vision

**A/N: Thank you to the ever-supporting fans who reviewed even after I let you all down :) This one goes out to you! **

**Just because the PERFECT way of ending 'FP' came to me, if you guys get me to 350, I'll give you the sequel. Ta da? I cut you down 50 reviews! (Sneak preview of the last chapter down at the A/N)  
><strong>

****Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt, only the OC's!****

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><p><strong>Emi's POV:<strong>

I watched, upset, as Celeste stormed out of the room. She was our sister...yet, she was nothing like us. So cold, distant, and uncaring. Was there a reason? Or was that her natural state? Of no love, and no passion?

Mom fainted right after she left, landing in Dad's arms. Immediately, everyone swarmed the duo (except for the group's totem poles...or stones or whatever you wanna call Naru and Lin) to check if they were alright, but I walked outside onto the terrace; I needed some fresh air.

The sun was going down, just over the horizon passed the rolling, green hills. It stained the skies pretty shades of pink, purple, and orange with its light, dawning the end of yet another day. Somewhere nearby, a few crickets chirped, their melodies floating through the air.

"Why can't we be as peaceful as the sky?" I sighed, staring up at the barely visible stars. It just seem so much easier up there...it wasn't fair! Why was our family, our friends, always the ones to suffer? Again and again? I just wished...wished that...if maybe I left, or I sacrificed something, that it'd be easier on them all. Maybe if I gave myself up for the 'Lady of the Flames' position? Uh, how would you do that...I made a mental note to Google 'how to send a resume to the underworld'. I snorted at the sheer freakishness of the idea. Google probably would come up with something, though...Google came up with everything.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wind their way around my waist, pulling me against someone's (rather muscular) chest. "What're you doing out here all alone?" Gene asked, placing his chin on my shoulder. I smiled softly at his concern, before tipping my head back and gently kissing him on the lips.

"Thinking," I sighed, turning around in his arms and putting my own around his neck. He kissed my forehead, pulling me close, before rocking our entangled bodies back and forth. I loved it when we had our soft and gentle moments; it calmed me right down.

"About?"

"How life sucks monkey balls." I grumbled, pouting. He laughed, ruffling my hair, before responding. "Well, I'm in your life, do I suck?"

Before I could respond with a dirty-minded retort, I heard Mai calling for us. We turned, me giggling, and I ran inside, laughing as Gene pretended to chase me. Suddenly, a strange, chilling feeling ran down my spine, causing me to stop dead on the spot.

It was then I hit the floor, out cold, lost in the spirit world.

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><p><em>"Celeste!" Someone was screaming. "What's WRONG with you, you little bastard?"<em>

_"I-I'm sorry!" A small child's voice, feminine, cried in retaliation. _

_I stared, somewhat horrified, as a child-like Celeste and an older woman came into view, surrounded by flames. Shadowy darkness shrouded us, making the flames seem more villainous than I would've first thought._

_"Sorry doesn't cut it this time!" The lady snarled, back-handing little Celeste across the face. _

_I gasped, slapping my hands across my mouth in shock. She...was hit as a child? Is that why she was so bitter? _

_Silent, Celeste took the hit with nothing more than a slight whimper of pain. The flames danced, circling them and suddenly dipping inwards. A woman emerged and walked towards the pair with an air of pose and elegance. _

_Aunt Alana? Was that her? Seemed like it; it was the first time _I'd_ gotten a chance to see her. She had caramel brown hair, the same shade as Mai and I, and it came down to her mid-back, much like us. She walked forward, draped in a red gown that scraped the cavern floor, her eyes set ablaze with unkindly anger. However, I could tell she wasn't a naturally angry person._

_"How dare you, Secila," she growled, pulling Celeste into her arms and cradling the girl closee. "I told you that you weren't allowed to touch the child."_

_"I-I'm sorry, Mistress." Secila stammered, before stumbling back and vaporizing. Alana, glaring at the spot Secila had stood for a moment, huffed, before turning to face little Celeste._

_"W-who are you, miss?" Celeste asked, her voice trembling. My brows furrowed; she didn't know about her aunt despite the fact they were in the same realm?_

_Auntie Alana smiled softly, the corners of the smile pulling taut; her eyes reflected years of pain and tortured hope. Hope that was, sadly, diminished by Seika. "Nobody important."_

_I watched her erase Celeste's memory before leaving her on the bed I didn't see at first, walking over to me. Immediately, I straightened, shocked that she could see me._

__"Hello, my little niece," she murmured. "I hope you learnt a tad about Celeste and her hardships."__

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><p>With that, I woke up back in reality, in the middle of screaming and yelling and cursing.<p>

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><p><strong><strong>AN: Celeste had a rough childhood? Didn't know of her Auntie? Why is it Emi seeing this and not Mai? Let's dwell and walk further into the case!****

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><p><strong>Sneak peak:<strong>

****'I cried, the tears rolling down my cheeks in fat droplets. Was this it? Probably.'****

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><p><strong>I know it's not very long, but take what you will from it and leave a review or two with your guesses. Until tomorrowday after! Tata!**


	43. An Ending

**A/N: Really no excuse for the sudden hiatus, but high school completely blindsided me. Thank you to those amazing people who reviewed and those people who dug this story up out of the Ghost Hunt archives and read it! I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it!**

**Now, this IS the last chapter BUT thanks to some fans this story has made it's way up to 350! So, without further-ado, I present to you the final chapter of the FIRST installment of the 'Forgotten' series!**

**A final pre-dedication to Juliana for posting the 350th review, and for urging me to write this and that it wasn't a totally lost cause. Looking back, I'm totally ashamed about the really short chapters and I'll probably take some time out of a upcoming weekend to splice them together or add mindless fluff/description so they're longer. I'm so sorry for those!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.**

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><p><strong>Mai's POV<strong>:

It had taken a while for me to make my decision, but it was made.

I turned, blurry-eyed, and stared at the hotel in the fading distance, stark against the inky blackness of the night. Like so many years ago, yet again, I was running from my problems. I was choosing to take the easy way out, rather than facing them dead-on. I knew...I knew I was going to cause so many people so much pain.

I was leaving Naru, without even having the nerve to face him and tell him so; I knew my mindset would change if he had a chance to tell me differently.

I was leaving my SPR family, blatantly ignoring how quickly they took me under their tutelage and gave me the love nobody else seemed to want to give me.

I was leaving my parents, after how long it took me to find them.

I was leaving my sister, who I hadn't seen in so long, and Gene, who cared about me as a older brother would.

I was leaving everything I ever loved behind.

"Bye, everyone," I whispered to the cold darkness of the night, before I started walking. I knew there was a train station somewhere around here, I'd just have to-

"Mai." A quiet voice sounded.

Whirling around, I came face to face with Gene and Emi who were watching me with alarmed eyes.

"Where are you going?" Emi continued, stepping forward to reach for my hand and hold it tightly.

"I need to go, Em." I whispered. "And you know it. I can't let whoever's hunting me down find you all."

"Mai," Gene started. "This is ridiculous. Noll-"

"-Can't find out where I'm going because I know he'll force me to come back whether I like it or not!" I was starting to get desperate, knowing both Naru and Lin stayed up into the wee hours of the morning when we were on cases. Today was no different, and I needed to go before any one of them noticed something was aloof.

"Then I'm coming." Em's voice was firm, her mind made up. I gave her a hard look, as hard as it could get, before pulling my hand away. Gene moved closer to the girl.

"No."

"Yes!"

"So am I," Gene stared at me defiantly.

"No!"

"Yes!" They both protested, crossing their arms and glaring at me.

"NO!" My voice rose dangerously, possibly alerting people passing by in their cars. We must have looked like freaks to them all.

"Mai, this is ridiculous," Em sighed. "Just let us come. Have you ever thought they might be after me as well?"

I paused, mid-fume, and looked at her. She looked exhausted, and immediately I felt guilty; here I was acting like a child in a time of crisis.

"Fine," I let me voice drop back to a considerate volume. "If you really want to."

"I'm still coming," Gene told me sternly. "Sure you don't want to tell Noll, Mai?"

"I'm sure." I nodded, despite the churning in my stomach; I really didn't want to leave him, but I had no choice.

Together, we left, walking into the darkness of the night, leaving behind everything and everyone.

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><p><strong>UNKNOWN POV:<strong>

"So they've left?" I cackled, clutching the sword's hilt.

"Yes, my lordship. The two girls, and one of the twins."

"Good. Now it is the time to help our puppet strike and bring destruction back to the living."

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><p><strong>AN: Whee, short but sweet, because the SEQUEL will be much longer and hopefully tie up loose ends (: This chapter had to be short as I couldn't reveal much, but nonetheless I hope you enjoyed it, and the rest of the story! That's a wrap, folks!**

**Summary for the sequel, 'Forgotten Love';**

**It's been some time since Mai, Emiko and Gene left SPR and the hotel behind, in order to keep those they loved safe. Given word of a marriage of two they knew well, they decide to go back for a bit, at least under cover. Cover or not, their return causes a domino effect of disasters, heartaches and ghost-filled horrors. Can their love for each other surpass it all?**


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